Sweetheart and Enemy
by Crazy4YuYuHakusho
Summary: Katsuragi Hatsune and friends return to Japan and enroll in the prestigious Meiou High. Upon realizing her abilities and vulnerabilities, she gets thrown into the mix and bonds with the boys. KuramaxOCxYusuke, implied HieixOC
1. Life of Katsuragi Hatsune

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter One: The Life of Katsuragi Hatsune

Walking up to the moderately shabby, large house, I gazed upon it. It needed a lot of renovation, and I had little time to do so. Staring down at my yellow legal sized check list, I looked at the address. _This is the place_, I thought. Sighing, I walked up to the dusty, foliage covered patio-styled deck and stared at the door. It was covered in moss. _Great_, I thought. I grabbed a latex glove from my coat pocket and put it on before I opened the door. The door creaked and squeaked. It sounded like it was going to fall off.

My first step in kicked up some long stale dust. It was dark and dull. The walls were peeling and the floor had some holes in it. _I wonder when Kuraiya and Riho are coming_. Looking for a light switch, I got my foot caught in a hole. _Damn_.

"HATSUUUUUUUUUNEEEE!"

I turned to see a tall, lanky redhead at the door. And, behind him, there stood a short cutie with purple-tinted black hair.

"Kuraiya and Riho, what took you two so freakin' long to get here?" I said with mocking exasperation.

"Well, I guess you're right. Chicago is only a few hours away from Tokyo," joked Kuraiya. "How the hell have you been?"

"Peachy considering my foot has been eaten by the floor."

"Hatsune, how was Philadelphia? I wanna know all about it!" demanded Riho. She is Kuraiya's cousin so they both had exchange families in the Greater Chicago area.

"I'll tell you while were cleaning this place up, okay?" I said.

The two of them nodded in unison and grabbed their stuff. They set it inside the door away from the vicious layers of dust.

"Let's do this!" said Kuraiya as he grabbed his boom box and started the music. He grabbed his massive bag of cleaning supplies and dispersed them to the other two. He ran the front of the house and the girls ran the back.

Five hours later the dust was gone and three black garbage bags were filled to the rim with disinfectant cloths and wall chippings.

"Hey, I think we need a break," huffed Kuraiya. "I'm hungry."

"We can go get the food," stated Riho as she looked at me.

I nodded and got up. Walking toward the door, I pulled off my gloves and booties and put them into the garbage bag. Outside, I dusted myself off and called for Riho. Moments later she ran out and grabbed my arm.

We walked along the path into the outskirts of town. "Hey, Hatsune, what do you want? Kuraiya doesn't care."

"I don't know, actually," I said as I pondered what I was craving. "Hm, I really want a quesadilla," I said laughing lightly.

"I think it's a bit of a walk to a Taco Bell."

"True, true. How about the trustworthy ramen or udon?"

"YES! I want that so badly."

Riho and I walked to the nearest ramen ship and walked into it. There was hardly anyone there.

"Hello," said a young girl. She was maybe in her first year of high school or last year of junior high school. She was short and had chocolate brown hair. "Let me know when I can help you, okay?"

Riho nodded happily ran toward the front, but tripped on her own two feet. She landed a couple of feet away from three guys at the nearby table. The dark haired one laughed and the carrot top quickly got up to see if Riho was okay.

"Oh, shit, Riho," I said trying to not laugh, "I can't carry you and the food." I walked over to her and the tall carrot top looked at me as if I spoke another language. "Riho, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, but you may want to speak Japanese, hun. We're not in America anymore." She smiled as she got up.

"Oops…" I said. "I'll slowly get there. I need a few days to transition."

The other unknown guy had long red hair that flowed well. He was still in his high school uniform and he didn't pay them much heed.

The short girl with the chocolate colored hair ran out from the back and checked to see what had happened. "Oh my, are you okay, ma'am?"

Riho had her hand on her left leg and smiled. "Yes."

"Hey, Keiko," said the black haired boy. "When do you get off?"

"Yusuke, I told you earlier in one hour…" she said as she switched her attention to the two girls. "Would you two like ramen?"

Riho nodded but told her she needed three orders not two. As she talked, her cell phone rang, and she didn't bother to answer it. When it stopped, my phone rang and I did answer it. "Yes?"

It was Kuraiya. "What is taking you guys so long? I'm really hungry."

"Shut up unless you want to come get it yourself."

"Your Japanese sucks."

"I've only been back in Tokyo for thirty minutes. What do you expect?"

As I was talking the girl named Keiko gave Riho the three ramen orders. She paid for them and motioned for me to follow. As we walked out, her cell phone fell out of her pocket and the screen shattered.

"Shit," she said.

I picked it up and looked at it. "You need a new cell phone."

She glared at me as we walked back.

After a few minutes, I hung up with Kuraiya and we were only a few hundred feet from the house. He greeted us at the main gate and the three of us walked back to the porch. We sat together happily eaten REAL ramen for the first time in a year.

As we ate, we talked about more American experiences and laughed at some of our embarrassing moments. At the end of our first meal, we cleaned up the porch and took the five trash bags to the curb where the sign for garbage pick up was.

"Hatsune-chan," Kuraiya spoke, "where is Katsuya?"

"Hospital. He needed to get checked and get the rest of his shots and what not. I can pick him up tomorrow after school at the earliest, but I may wait until the end of the week. We might have one good room by then."

I missed Katsuya. He is my love and a good part of my life. Quite literally he is my baby. He has cute wavy brown hair and flashy blue eyes that would make any girl squeal.

"Hatsune, can we paint Katsuya's room light blue?" asked Riho excitedly.

"I'll think about it."

"Hey, I have a better idea. Let's see if the shower works. I need one," said Kuraiya while scratching his head. "That wasn't a short flight."

Riho and I nodded and we three ventured into the back of the house making a near vain attempt to fix the shower and heater. Once we completed that, we fixed as much of the electrical as we could salvage.

"How lucky do you think we can get with the sink and stove?" asked Riho.

"I don't know. But, since we're in the fixin' mode, let's do it."

We three managed to save the sink, but the stove ended up being a dud. The three bedrooms, the one massive bathroom, the living room, the porch, the hallways, and the kitchen were clean and semi-operable.

"So, I'm ready to call it quits," said Kuraiya waving his mock white flag.

"I second that."

Riho was too tired to speak, so she just motioned for supporting it.

It was only eight o'clock. Granted it was dark, but it felt like it should have been much later in the night. I looked up and noticed the door was ajar. I rolled over and got up in order to close the door.

"Thank you Une-chan," mumbled Kuraiya.

I laughed. It had been so long since I heard that nickname. I walked past the two cousins and toward the bathroom. I at least needed to wash my hands. While I was briefly cleaning up, the two were attempting to make makeshift beds in the living room.

"Who showers first?" I asked.

Riho and Kuraiya looked at each other. "We don't care."

"Okay, I'll just get mine over with."

Turning on the water, I stripped my clothes off and get them away from the shower. _We need a laundry basket in here_. Feeling that the water was lukewarm, I hopped into the shower and began my five minute process of physical purification. When my time was up, I didn't want to turn the water off; it felt nice against my body. _There are two others… Need to keep some water._ I turned it off and grabbed my nonexistent towel. _Whoops._  
"Riho, can you grab a towel out of my bag?"

"Yeah, hold on," she said as she grabbed my bag and dug around for a towel. Finding a blue and yellow striped fluffy towel, she brought it over to the door and I thanked her as I took it. About a minute later, I walked out and no steam followed.

Kuraiya looked up from his book. "So, does it work well?"

"Well enough. Gets the job done," I said as I dug around for my pajamas.

"It's going to be a little chilly, so I don't think you should wear that tank top that goes with those pants," Kuraiya said with a smile.

I grabbed my stretchy green pajama pants and a black long sleeved button up. Still searching for undergarments, I asked Kuraiya who his first class teacher is and what he had. Before he could answer, I found the rest of my clothing and headed for the bathroom to put on my night clothes. I walked out in less than a minute. This time the towel covered my hair.

"I have Classic Literature with… Yeah, about this name," he said scrutinizing the name. "And you?"

"Same as you." I smiled.

Riho had a pouty look on her face as she headed toward the shower. "Lucky! I'm all alone in chemistry." She walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

"I don't know about you, but I think I am going to go to sleep in a few minutes," I said. I had a hard time keeping my eyes open. They were fluttering a mile a minute.

"Nighty-night, young one," Kuraiya teased.

"You're not that much my senior," I said playfully irritated with a hint of tired in my voice. I unwrapped the towel to reveal my wavy dark brown hair. It was still slightly damp, but I didn't care. I grabbed my fuzzy white blanket and wrapped myself in it tightly. On my side, I began to drift asleep as I heard Riho walk out of the bathroom.

"Kuraiya, it's your turn," said Riho. That was the last thing I heard on that tiring Sunday night.


	2. There's This Thing at School

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Two: There's This Thing at School

I heard people moving and pots banging as I rolled over. I sat up slowly and wiped the gooey gunk from the inner point of my eye. Yawning, I stretched and hopped up off the floor.

"Good morning," said Riho from the kitchen.

_Wow, whatever she's making smells amazing._

I walked toward the kitchen and looked in. There was nothing going on. "Riho…" I began. "Where are you?"

"Porch."

I made my way to the area and saw the cousins eating pancakes, eggs, and bacon with orange juice.

"You want some, Hatsune?" Kuraiya asked.

I shook my head no. I'm not the breakfast type to begin with, and even when I do eat it, it's not those kinds of food I like to chew on. "I think I'm going to splash water on my face." I walked back in and toward the bathroom in order to begin my morning ritual.

_Oh, the morning ritual… How I love it so._

I got soap in my eye after I put my contacts in, so it stung like a bitch. Other than that, everything went fine. I got dressed in something that resembled a uniform because I didn't know if the school required one or if you just wore whatever you felt like. Though, I imagine they do have one. I walked out of the bathroom and grabbed my purse. It was kind of cute; a black and yellow polka dotted barrel.

I looked at the clock on the floor and no kidding it was only five thirty.

"Hey, when are we supposed to be there?" I asked.

"Six thirty," said Riho.

"Six," said Kuraiya at the same time as Riho.

"Uh… which one?" I replied to their different answers.

"It's six for pre-registration and six thirty for class," said Kuraiya.

Riho pouted as Kuraiya gave her _that_ smile. She didn't like being wrong too often, but more than often, she was a little off. She gathered the plates and walked in to set them in the sink. "Well, if we have to be there in thirty minutes, then we better leave now." She grabbed her stuff and walked out.

I walked over to Kuraiya. "Does she know where she is going?"

"I actually don't know," he replied. "But, let's go. It might take us a while to find it."

We walked for a few blocks before I spoke. "Where are we going to school?"

Kuraiya took a few papers out of his pocket and opened a few of them. He read a few of them before speaking. "I think it's called Meiou… Not too sure. But, I do know where it is located."

Not even ten minutes later we came to the school and Riho was waiting for us at the gates that just opened. "What took you two so long?"

Kuraiya smiled that peachy, innocent grin. "Oh, nothing… Just a really long make-out session."

"He lies," said I.

We three walked to the front doors, which were massive, and entered. The school was very clean, and for the moment, quiet. We looked around only to see a few people walking in the halls. They stopped and stared at us like we were foreign.

Kuraiya stepped up to them and began small talk. After about a minute, he thanked them and motioned for us to follow him. We just did what he motioned for us to. We did end up in the correct place, and it shocked Riho and I. That didn't happen too often when he was leading us.

It was the head master's office, principal in my mind, really. But, we had to wait a little while- there was a sign that basically said preoccupied and something about waiting ten minutes.

While waiting, Kuraiya and I were discussing what might go on in there and what the principal might look like. We were discussing other options when a student walked out of the office. He was a rather tall young man. He was pretty- not handsome. His long red hair went with his luscious green eyes. He seemed very calm as he left and didn't even notice us.

Riho practically drooled over herself. "Wow…" she trailed off.

"Riho," I said sternly, but she knew I was playing with her. I have to admit myself that he was good-looking, but he definitely had to be my senior somehow.

While Riho and I were distracted the principal walked out to greet Kuraiya, then us. I popped out of my mini trance and said hello and such while Riho still spaced. I had to wake up up, so to speak, in order for her to greet the administrator. We walked into the office after the outside meet.

It didn't take us long to register, sign, and etcetera. We each got a schedule, and of course, we compared. I had more classes with Kuraiya than Riho, but I had physical education with Riho. That would make it fun. We smiled at the thought of all of the trouble we could cause, but today, we figured we would be good. Just for today, anyway.

While we were comparing, we didn't take notice that the principal had sent for student guides to show us to our first class. We were laughing as two guides came in. That same red-headed boy came in and another we hadn't previously seen. He was about the same height as the cute one, but he definitely didn't have the looks. His hair was like that orange-headed boy's we saw at the ramen house yesterday, but it was black. His glasses were something else, too, and his eyes were unattractive.

_I want my guide to be the cute one._

"Okay, so…" the principal began to fumble around in his speech and papers. "Minamino, you'll be taking Katsuragi and Kurosawa."

Riho and Kuraiya looked back and forth. They pointed at each other then themselves.

"Oh, sorry, uh, you'll take… Kuraiya."

Again, Kuraiya gave his cousin _that_ smile, only this time, Riho stuck her tongue out in his general direction. However, her plan to show him some disdain ended up in her tongue landing on my face. She was _that_ close to me.

It was a little embarrassing, but I tried to remain nonchalant as Riho blushed and looked in the other direction. Kuraiya laughed and I sighed. That was going to be very interesting or very boring.

"Yuu Kaito, you'll take the other Kurosawa…" said the principal.

As if we couldn't figure that part out.

We picked up our stuff and headed out in our nonuniforms. We barely took a step out before the principal stopped us. He nearly forgot to give us our uniforms.

Riho and I snickered as Kuraiya looked at his pink uniform. He glared at us.

Our uniforms were not that bad, but I wasn't rooting for them either.

There was a bathroom down the hall, so we changed there as our guides waited for us. We didn't hear them talk much, but we didn't care that much either.

I walked out of the bathroom before Riho but after Kuraiya. We left before Riho came out.

Kuraiya pulled at his uniform all the way to our main room. Honestly, that annoyed me. "Stop it," I said calmly. He immediately stopped flinching physically, but his mind still wandered about the uniform.

Our guide didn't say much to us. I was a little curious is he was one of those outcasts or smart, geeky kind of kids. But, he was WAY too cute to be the outcast… Maybe he was mean? Eventually, I would find out. I would, even if I had to pry.

He stopped walking and said, "This is your room." His voice was rather plain and detached.

"Uh, thank you?" I said choppily and with some curious question in my voice.

He looked at me awkwardly. I didn't realize that my Japanese had been choppy and slightly americanized. I looked down as I thought about how I was going to cover it up.

He slid the door open and let us walk in. He followed us in and took his seat.

_Haha, Riho! I'm in the same class as the cute one. Score!_

The teacher looked at us as she smiled. She began talking really fast, and I had a hard time keeping up with her. Luckily, I have Kuraiya. He was the one that communicated the most.

I did catch the last few words though. I thought it was very kindergarten. She wanted us to introduce ourselves and tell the class a little bit about ourselves. Kuraiya took the lead, as usual… when he wasn't lazy, rather.

"Uh, hi. My name is Kurosawa Kuraiya. This is my first year in high school, well, in Japan anyway. I'm originally from Nasushiobara. I was in Chicago for about two years with the foreign exchange program. And… I don't know what else to mention."

The teacher thanked him and some of the girls were already mesmerized by him. She motioned for me to do the same, and I pretty much took his format.

"I'm Katsuragi Hatsune. I'm from Sunagawa, and I was also in the foreign exchange program. I spent two years in Philadelphia. And, yeah…"

I ran out of thoughts for the moment because I was trying to figure out how to say something in Japanese. Philadelphia and Japan didn't quite meet, so English was the primary language I spoke. It came back to bite me in the butt.

The teacher looked a little nervous, but happy. I guess she was expecting the two of us to be more talkative, but whatever. It was not my main concern. She showed us to the only two open seats in the room. Kuraiya sat two rows from the window, and I sat one row from the door on the opposite side of the room.

_Aw, I don't have my translator near me. Crap._

But there was an upside. Red-headed cutie was right in front of me. I didn't think he would help me out, but I could be wrong.

I looked up from my book. Physics. Disgusting. But, I guess we got there right after she finished, so it was on to math. That I could do. Kuraiya, however… That was something he needed my help on.

For the next hour and a half, she drew triangles and explained basic to moderate trigonometry. This was boring. This was simple. But, I knew Kuraiya would be hounding me for help later on.

The allotted time passed quickly, and she placed her math book on the corner of her desk. She smiled warmly and began speaking English.

_Woah… I thought this was civics, not English._

I wasn't going to complain, though. There was something that I could finally understand. That made me happy. Until she mentioned a team project that is.

Honestly, this is like the first week of school and she's talking about a project. What a devil lady. She began explaining it as she walked around the room passing out the syllabus and other information needed for the project.

When I received mine, I looked through the packet and smiled. It was not hard at all. I grasped it well, and I didn't need three weeks to do it, especially with a partner.

But, of course, there was a catch. We had to partner up with someone we didn't know, which wasn't hard for me or Kuraiya… I mean, really. But, she made us pull names out of a hat. Every other person got to pull, and neither I nor Kuraiya got to, so that idea was shot. Even though she said someone new, I'm sure we could have pulled some strings.

I was slightly disappointed. Now, I was really going to get someone I had no clue about. That kind of sucked because my Japanese was not up to par. That was the scary part for me.

By the time my thought process was complete, every other had pulled a name. The teacher asked them to find that person and everyone with a stub of paper began to move about the room. The red-head cutie in front of me stayed seated. I wondered about it. I thought for a while he was just waiting for the room to get less congested, but after a while I realized he had drawn my name.

_Oh, wow. I don't know if this is good or bad._

The teacher gave us our last instructions and gave us the rest of the class time to organize the project seeing as that was the only class time she had planned to give us to work on the project.

Before I could ask his name, he had paper and pencil out and was ready to organize the project. He was speaking in a low voice, which was hard to hear and understand seeing as everyone else was being very loud. I tried to concentrate hard, but after a while I think I subconsciously gave up and zoned out a little bit.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I was moved slightly and I woke up, so to speak. I felt a little stupid and apologized. Honestly, I just couldn't hear him. I couldn't even hear myself speak, so I got up to ask the teacher if we could plan outside the room because I couldn't hear anything other than noise. She didn't have a problem apparently and I motioned for him to follow me.

That went well. I asked him to repeat everything he said after I explained that I am slightly hard of hearing. I think he bought it. He nodded anyway.

So back to planning. We got everything organized including what book we were going to do. We both decided _the Inferno_ would be a good choice, seeing as we both have read it multiple times. Basically, we had to do a report and try to live life through the book for about a week. We had to video tape or record or do something live for a portion of the project.

There were thirty minutes left. We just sat outside the door. We had all of our ideas together for the project, but we have yet to discuss when and where. I brought it up casually.

"So, when and where are we going to do this?" I asked. I really hoped he answered.

"Well," he began, "do you know of a place outside the main city?"

I nodded. "That's basically where I live."

He looked at me oddly. "What?"

"What I mean is, I live on the outskirts in a bunch of trees and stuff. It's a really old house and there's not much lighting around it, so it would be more hellish that the city lights."

He nodded and thought a little more. "Do you mind if I come by later today to see the area?"

"Not at all. It just depends on what time."

"About seven?"

"I think I can do that. If I'm not there at seven, then Kuraiya and his cousin will be in the house. You can chill with them for a while."

He really looked at me oddly.

"Yeah, I live with my friends," I said flatly. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Minamino Shuichi."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you and work with you."

The teacher opened the doors and asked us to step in. There were only five more minutes of class left. That time was spent walking in, gathering stuff, and trying not to get trampled on the way out.

Before I left, I walked over to Kuraiya and inquired him about his project. He told me everything including his slightly crazy partner. He wasn't crazy about him, but maybe he would warm up to him. Just maybe…

We ran into unexpectedly, and she was asking us all about our first half of the first day. Honestly, it wasn't that great, but we made it out to be amazing. She was thrilled. She told us all about her part of the day. Luckily it was lunch or we would have been WAY late. She pulled us over to a tree and we sat under it as we spoke.

We weren't there long when a group of girls walked in our general direction. They looked at us and stopped about a foot short of the spot where we sat. Kuraiya looked up.

"May we help you?" he asked them.

The 'main' girl smirked and stated bluntly, "You're in our spot, now leave."

Kuriaya looked at her with his other look. It was the classic '_who the hell do you think you are?_'

She wasn't happy that we didn't move, so she had her ugly boyfriend come over and attempt to remove the three of us. It didn't work so well. He was obviously weak- physically and mentally.

But, a physical altercation never occurred because the first bell rang. That meant lunch was over. Riho and I had physical education together and Kuraiya had it in the courtyard over. So, it was the girl's time to hang out.

We had no trouble finding the locker room. We quickly changed into our uniforms, and neither one of us liked them one bit. We dealt with it though.

We walked outside and there were a bunch of prissy preps in one corner, bulky body builders in another and outcasts in a third. The fourth corner was filled with pocket-protector loving girls.

We had no clue where we fit in, but we knew we didn't belong with the prissy girls considering we just pissed one of them off. And, we weren't body builders, so… we had a choice between geeks and outcasts.

Outcasts were looking pretty good right now.

We sighed and walked over to that corner. It was slightly awkward, but we didn't get beaten up or anything, so it didn't really suck.

The second bell rang, and no sooner did it stop when the whistle blew. Apparently that meant run because everyone took off. But, before we could do that, the physical education coaches came over and told us the basic drill for warm-ups and stuff. We were exempt from the mile run for today, but only today. We were supposed to go through the basic physical exam of pull-ups, push-ups, etceteras. I fared well, but Riho struggled with the pull-ups just a little.

By the time we went through all of that, we had only twenty minutes left, and we found out that was shower time and changing time.

The showers were downright disgusting, but we were forced to be plain. We jumped out of the showers first and fast in order to change and get out of there. P.E. was not the highlight of the day. Riho made it tolerable, though.

Now, I had civics and foreign language. Those went by so fast. I went back to the same class as before and sat behind Shuichi. I didn't care much for civics. It wasn't hard or anything- I just wasn't interested, especially after the P.E. experience. Luckily civics and language flew by fast and before I knew it, school was over. It really was three thirty. I got my book and other stuff together and Kuraiya and I went to Riho's classroom. We walked out together.

It was not long before we got home. Four in the afternoon meant hitting the couch and resting for at least an hour.

I had to pick up Katsuya in about an hour and a half, so I planned to leave at five, get there at five thirty and get home by six. That is, if all went as planned.

When we opened the door, Kuraiya pushed past the two of us and jumped onto the couch. He hogged it, so we decided the floor would work. The sleeping bags weren't horrific.

I set my alarm for five o'clock and plopped onto the floor. I closed my eyes and rested for that one hour I had. It was going to be a busy night.


	3. An Odd Run in

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Three: An Odd Run-in

There was a loud buzz that echoed throughout the vicinity. I turned in its general direction, or what I thought it was at least. I looked around, but I couldn't find the source of that annoying racket. As I looked around, it stopped.

I looked up to see Kuraiya holding the small alarm. "You're welcome."

I smiled. I was still tired, but I knew it was about five so I got up and freshened up a little bit. As I was brushing my teeth, I wondered about Katsuya. Was he okay? Well, I would find out when I got there.

I grabbed a few things, and I headed out the door without much to say. I mean, they knew where I was going and what not, so it wasn't a big deal. Besides, if they needed something, either one of them could give me a ring.

The walk was calming and rather quiet. I was completely surprised that the city wasn't buzzing with action of some sort. Maybe I wasn't in the city enough yet.

The lights were bright even though the sun was still half seen. For some reason, the sidewalks were oddly clean. I might have been extremely bored because I was actually paying some attention to my surroundings. I wouldn't have to worry about that on the way back though. Katsuya would keep me plenty occupied.

I entered the city and walked past many small businesses. I noticed a sign in the local drug store: Hiring cashier for odd shifts. Inquire inside. I thought about it as I stared at it. I mean, it wouldn't hurt if I got a job, especially if it worked around school. So, what the heck. I walked inside and asked the man at the cashier's desk. Apparently, he was the owner. I asked about the job, and he looked thrilled. Immediately he handed me a schedule of the odd times, and it was actually nearly perfect. It was working three to four days a week for about five hours. That was nice. And, without too much thought, I took the job. There was no special training. I just had to ring up medicine. All of the medications available were the basic cough and headache stuff- nothing that I had to be a pharmacist for. And, the best part: I started next week. Score.

_Oh, I got lucky. SO LUCKY._

But, now, I really had to get to the hospital. It was already five thirty when I left the store. I hauled ass to the hospital. I got lost a few times, but I got to the infant care around fifteen before six.

I was so elated when I saw my bundle of joy. He was playing with a blanket. Rolling around in a circle was a camera moment; however, I didn't own one, so I just had to remember it or get him to do it again. I walked over to him and smiled as he turned to look at me. He held his arms out like he wanted to be picked up. So, I picked him up and bounced him on my hip for a little bit. That's when the doctor walked in.

"I see you're not wasting any time," he said happily.

"I assume he's good to go?" I asked. I wanted to take him home, and I needed to get home too. Shuichi wanted to come over to check the area out.

"Yes, I just need you to sign some papers and meet with the nurse for a growth chart and milestone dates. If you'll follow me." He walked out of the room.

I put Katsuya on the floor and give him the blanket. I would be back, but I couldn't sign and hold him at the same time. I walked up to the nurse's station, and one of them gave me a clipboard with a bunch of highlighted places to sign. I quickly read over everything and proceeded to sign what I had to. When I finished, I walked back up and gave it to the same nurse who then began to hand me a bunch of pamphlets. She began to explain all of the stuff I needed to know right now. I gladly accepted everything. She pointed to the room where he was and mentioned that the stroller I left was in the closet in that room.

I could finally take Katsuya home. Yes!

I walked over even though I wanted to run. I got the stroller out of the closet and looked at it. It was a little dusty, and I didn't want to put him in it until I had cleaned it out. I picked him up and wow. I didn't realize that he was that big. But, no matter; I would get used to it.

I carried him out and by passed the station. I did not want to be wheeled out of the hospital. Also, I took the stairs. Again, by passing all of the wheelchairs. However, I ran into someone I didn't expect to run into- Shuichi.

Oh, shock.

He did a double take to make sure it was myself he saw with a child.

"Uh, Katsuragi-chan?" said he with a really, super odd look.

"Good evening, Shuichi. And, you can call me Hatsune."

He stared at Katsuya for the longest time. It seemed that was what shocked him most. I actually was wondering what his exact thoughts were.

Katsuya stared at him and smile. He giggled and reached out for Shuichi.

Shuichi stared at him still, but his mood seemed to lighten up.

"You want to hold him?" I asked.

"Yes, actually," he said walking up to me in order to take Katsuya. Right before he grabbed Katsuya, a nurse came around the corner and caught me. That pretty much equaled epic fail. So, I had to be wheeled out with Katsuya in my arms. Shuichi followed, and I was surprised. I thought he was just getting there, but apparently, I was wrong.

At the front, I was released to walk, which made me happy. I felt like I had just given birth or something like that when I was being wheeled around.

I looked at my wristwatch, and it was fifteen before seven.

"So, you going to follow me to my house?" I asked him.

He too looked at his watch. "Yes, actually. Do you mind if I hold him now?"

Without saying anything, I walked closer to him and handed him my child. Although Katsuya appeared tired, he still giggled and played with Shuichi. He did that until he fell asleep. When that happened, we were at the house.

"Wow, you live quite a way out of the city. I'm surprised we got here fast."

"What are you talking about? It took thirty minutes," I said with a smile on my face.

He looked a little confused.

"It's the kid. He keeps you distracted."

His expression changed from confused to more 'ah'. Then, he realized he still had Katsuya.

"You want me to put him inside?" he asked.

"Oh, let me do that. You want to start looking around? I can find you, so don't worry about going into the heavy brush and stuff." I walked over to him and took Katsuya very gently. I really didn't want to wake him up. I slowly walked up to the door and into the house.

Kuraiya was about to glomp me when I glared at him. He then looked at my arms and noticed a sleeping child. He backed off.

I walked into my bedroom and set him down on my bed. I didn't have a crib yet so this was going to be it until I bought one. I made sure no heavy pillows or blankets were near him before I left.

I quietly closed the door and walked over to Kuraiya. He had this look on his face. It read odd, but I interpreted it as curious.

"What's up?" I asked him.

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine, just super tired, I guess."

"Cool. Hey, when are we going to go job hunting?" Kuraiya asked.

"Well," I began, "my job search is over. I got one on the way to the hospital." I smiled awkwardly at him.

"Lucky!" Kuraiya sharply stated.

"Hey, I'll talk to you in about an hour or so. Minamino-san and I are working on our English project."

Now, Kuraiya had the look plastered on his face. "Ooo…"

"The key word is working," I said slightly disgusted with his immature attitude. I knew it would go away in a bit, but just having it rear its head was bad enough.

I walked outside and to the left side corner of the house. I could see footprints in the dirt, but just barely. I followed them deep into the trees and brush. _Lordy, how for did this boy go?_

I pushed past many tree branches and hopped over mini ditches and prickly twigs before coming upon something that resembled a human. _Well, that wasn't too hard._ I picked up my pace at the way cleared, but I stopped when I saw two shadows. _Who is he with?_

That made me uneasy. I knew he was back here, but who else was? Was I imagining things? I was curious, so I continued which ended up being a serious mistake.

I did see Shuichi, which was good at first, but the other person made my heart stop completely. I had no clue who he was, but it was a sight to behold. Come to think of it, I'm not sure if it was a person. It appeared to be human at first glance, but scrutinize the being and you'll see many piercings and scars. The tan man had this sword in the shape of a slightly distorted oval. It was interestingly scarier than Hell. I was mesmerized and scared all at the same time.

When I stopped, I didn't know that I had stepped on a large twig. It broke, and they both looked in my general direction. Now, I was no ninja at that moment, so I was instantaneously caught.

_Oh shit._

The unknown to me smirked. He took a few steps forward. Stopping, he unlatched his twisted sword thing and held it out in front of himself. He pointed one finger at me and threw the sword.

As a natural response, I moved swiftly, but not thinking that the thing was boomerang shaped, I stopped and immediately hit the dirt in order to avoid being chopped in half. I looked up and only saw dust. Well, this was not the best position to be in- clueless. I vainly looked around; just dust surrounded me. In a few seconds, a horrid laugh encompassed me.

Now, I was scared shitless. I had no clue where he or I was, which was pretty bad when it's thought about. At that moment, I thought about Shuichi. Where was he? And most of all, was he okay?

I heard trees fall and began to panic. In order to calm myself, I tried checking my pulse and counting backwards from twenty, but I couldn't find my pulse. At this point, I seriously thought I was dead. But, I couldn't comprehend how that could be possible. I didn't think about it anymore. My main concerns were finding Shuichi and getting the hell out of this dust.

I got up and closed my eyes. They were useless to me at this point. I could hear two different sets of feet moving around. I could eliminate Shuichi being dead, which made me feel better. I walked forward for a few seconds, and I heard more laughter which made me stop. I couldn't tell who was moving at this point, so I tried to concentrate on hearing that boomerang thing. That I didn't hear at all. I took a few more steps forward and the ambience lightened up significantly.

I opened my eyes to see only another mistake. Well, to me seeing it was a mistake, I don't know about the other two. There was this long, slender green rose-like whip. Thorns adorned its entire length and it looked elegant and deadly. It reminded me of one of those classic, old books where the woman was gorgeous, but she was deadly and conniving. I was lost in its new wonder.

Quickly I snapped out of my trance for my own safety, really. I took a few steps back and looked at the unknown. He stopped fighting with Shuichi and looked at me intensely. He looked me up and down a few times, and that made me extremely nervous. He walked toward me with that same smirk as earlier.

I just raised my eyebrow and cocked my head to the right. I was seriously wondering what the hell was going on. He stopped a few steps short of me and latched his sword thing. He laughed at me, and I was more confused than ever.

"You better watch your other half, kid."

_Huh?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?_

That definitely went over my head. I had absolutely no clue who my other half was. I had no sister or brother. Perplexed was my current status. I just gave him this confused look. It had the essence of five-year-old innocence, too, but I didn't do that on purpose; it just came with the look.

He turned around and began walking away. But, before he left to go into the darker part of the wood, he stopped and turned around for one last word.

"Did you notice that your heart stopped?" With that, he left.

I did notice, but I forgot about it until he mentioned it again. Seriously, I thought it was just some joke. I mean there was no way I could be dead and still be able to breathe and comprehend language. There was just no way.

It would be best if I just brushed it off. If I don't worry about it, then maybe I'll just forget it. Right?

Well, that was very short lived considering Shuichi dropped his beautiful rose whip and ran over to check my pulse. His whip became a rose and it slowly disappeared. I was amazed. I barely noticed his quick check of a carotid and radial pulse. He sighed deeply, and that drew my attention to him.

"What?" I asked obviously wanting to know what the sigh was about.

"You have a pulse."

"I know. When didn't I have a pulse?"

"Don't fool yourself. You know when you didn't have one."

Well, he was dead on it. I was trying to fool myself into forgetting it. He was good.

I looked down for a moment and thought about the last words I heard from that unknown.

"Shuichi, what did he mean by other half?" I asked him with a pleading look in my eye. I now had an idea of what the man meant, but I didn't want it to be true. It scared me; it did, really.

"I think you know," stated he grimly. "You need to keep a close eye on your kid."

Well, freakin' peaches. That made my day. I did not want to hear that. Now I wondered if that man meant killing him or taking him. Either way, I didn't like what I was thinking about- not one bit.

Not taking notice to it earlier, I finally felt Shuichi's touch. He was still monitoring my radial pulse.

"Seriously, I have a pulse. I think it's all right to let go now."

He said nothing and he seemed to be concentrating on something.

I shut up to see if I could hear or feel what he might be looking for. At first I thought to forget about it, but it happened again- my heart stopped completely. He took note of that and looked around as he let go of my wrist.

I too looked, and I was completely bewildered at this point. How could I not have a pulse and still be able to move and comprehend what was going on?

He turned toward the dark wood and stared at it. I could hear steps, so I looked there as well. The crunching was getting louder. I noticed Shuichi feeling around in his hair.

_How… peculiar._

He pulled out a rose and held it for a while. I think his eyes were closed. I'm not too sure though. I was at a slight angle that made it a little hard to look up and notice his face when he was facing forward.

Out of the brush came three people; the two guys from the ramen restaurant and a new person. She had this airy blue hair tied up in a high ponytail with rather nice-looking street clothes.

There were no more words to describe this day. I just wanted it to be over. I just wanted to shower and crawl into bed and hope that tomorrow would be less of a fiction novel.

The black-haired boy who was about my height, maybe a little shorter, walked up to Shuichi and began talking to me. Basically, I didn't exist at that point in time. Thank God. I needed some time to collect myself. I was so scatterbrained at this point. I just needed to push reset, and I would be good to go.

The orange-haired kid was trying to butt into their conversation and for good reason too. He was trying to inform them that there was another person there. Shuichi had tried to shut the kid up, but the attempt seemed in vain.

Finally that girl yelled, "YUSUKE!"

He stopped talking in mid-word and looked at me. He didn't know that I was there and had this nervous 'I almost let something slip' look.

It was silent now. That was nerve-racking, so I decided to break it by ending our English project.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Shuichi," I said slowly. I turned around and headed back to the house. I'm sure I was getting stared at, and I'm sure there were questions, but I didn't want to know, and I didn't stick around to hear about it.

I wanted my shower. I wanted sleep. I wanted a new day.


	4. Here We Go Again

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Four: Here We Go Again

I woke up in my bed with Katsuya cradled in my arms. He was still sound asleep, so I moved gently and slowly. I didn't want to wake him for I was still groggy. I grabbed my cell and pushed the button on the left which made it light up- it was four in the morning.

"…I got in my bed how?"

Never mind the short-lived thought. I headed toward the bathroom because I figured out that I had not showered; there were mud stains on my face. I spent a short time showering. I didn't want to think while cleaning up.

I got out and threw my fuzzy blue robe on. I loved its bright color and massive 'one size fits all' label. I sighed when I opened the door. Walking over to the couch, I looked around to make sure I wasn't going to step on Kuraiya or Riho.

Surprisingly, neither one were there.

I didn't put much thought to it as I took a seat. Then I began to think. So many thoughts raced through my mind. I attempted to sort and prioritize them, but that was futile. I just let them race for a little while. Maybe I would calm down by then.

Four thirty caught my attention. The kitchen clocked glowed brightly. I huffed with mild exasperation. I had three thoughts I was concerned about the most: Katsuya, Shuichi, and myself.

I had no clue where Katsuya was supposed to stay while I was in school. In America, my exchange parents watched him. My biological parents are dead, so that's a little out of the question, and my paternal grandmother would not be happy to see me, let alone with a child. Oh the first headache…

That incident yesterday with Shuichi is going to make everything awkward. It's hard to avoid that, and I don't know if he can or will explain to me what happened yesterday. I just don't know…

And, headache number three is myself. I'm still trying to figure out why my pulse gives out at random times. Maybe I'm going crazy? But, that wouldn't account for that unknown and Shuichi to know about it. I should just forget about it, but what happens when I have to check it in PE and it's not there? What if the teachers pick up on it?  
Oh…

As I let myself drown in my thoughts, I heard a knock at the door. I looked over to it and looked at the clock. I wondered what could be going on at fifteen before five. Anyway, I walked to the door and opened it.

Shock, shock. It was Shuichi.

I had forgotten that I was only in a robe as I stared at his presence.

"Uh, hello?" I said very confused.  
"May I talk to you?" he said very serenely.  
"Yes," I said as I stepped back to let him in. I motioned toward the couch. "I'll be a minute." I quickly walked into my bedroom after I closed the front door.  
I closed the door quietly and was the color of Kuraiya's hair. I was still in my robe and he was over. Quickly throwing that out the unopened window, I threw some clothes on. I had heather grey sweat pant and a teal green v-neck with a white cami underneath.  
I walked into the living room and sat on the loveseat diagonal from him. I felt better with some distance, but it was still awkward.  
He began the conversation with yesterday's occurrence. To be straightforward, it confused the hell out of my, but I tried my best to follow. I did.  
"Do you remember anything from yesterday," he said as he broke away from his story-telling feel.  
I snapped out of my minor spell and thought about it for a split second. "Just that I think my heart stopped a couple of times, and a weird boomerang thing…"  
There were a few other things, but I wanted to get a couple of things sorted out first.  
He couldn't explain the first one, but the second one was very short and over my head. All I could retain was demon servant to some female overlord and something about a war. It was all uncanny.  
"Demon?" I asked completely lost. I mean, those are creatures in stories, right?  
He seemed calm, but there was something about him that seemed a little frustrated. It was probably my lack of understanding.  
"Sorry, I just don't get it." I was really groggy, so this just wasn't the best time.  
At that moment, Kuraiya flung the door open and ran over to me. He glomped me in the process of good news, but I was now concerned with a crying kid.

"Damn it, Kuraiya," I mumbled as I pushed him off me and walked into my bedroom.

When I got there, there was no Katsuya.

_What the hell? I swore I heard crying._

"Kuraiya, what did you hear a few second ago other than my cursing at you?"

"Crying… why?"  
"When did it stop?"

"When you walked into your room. Hatsune, what's going on?"  
I walked out of my room. "I don't see Katsuya anywhere."  
Both Kuraiya and Shuichi ran into my room and looked around. I was still trying to figure out what was going on.  
This was headache number four.  
_Better watch your other half, kid._  
"Oh shit…" I said and trailed off.  
Kuraiya looked at me and asked, "What? What is it?"  
I was about to answer, but then it hit me that he wouldn't know what I was talking about. I had to think of something else and fast.  
Riho walked in with a familiar face. "Guys, what was Katsuya doing on the porch?" She held him out to me, and I was so overwhelmed with emotion that I passed out.

When I came to, I was on my bed again and Katsuya was still in my arms. _Déjà vu._  
I sat up, but this time, there was someone sitting on a chair in the corner. Shuichi was taking a nap, I guess. Again, I picked up my cell phone and pushed the button- eleven thirty. I had missed a good part of school, as did Minamino-san. I felt bad for him staying, but I guess he wanted to make sure I was okay.  
I decided to walk around, just enough to wake myself up. But when I got to the door, I got pulled back and that really pushed me over the edge on trying to remain calm. My heart raced so fast, I just had no clue about its status. And, I had the random urge to scream, but that was silenced as a hand was placed over my mouth. In the end, I ended up on Shuichi's lap, scared shitless and amazed at how fast he moved.  
All I could do was stare at him with mix emotions running through my eyes. He only held onto me for a few seconds, enough for me to calm down a little bit.  
"Sorry. I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction."  
"Neither was I…"

It took me a while to realize that I was still sitting on his lap, and that it was a little awkward. Apparently, it didn't bother him much. As I attempted to stand, he held me down.  
"Yeah?" I said in a questioning voice. Now things were getting weird.  
"You'll fall to the floor if you try to stand now."  
Okay, so he was still looking out for me, but I think I would've felt more comfortable on the floor, to be perfectly honest. Nevertheless, I sat there obediently. Eventually, one of us would have to get up.  
I stared at his hair and noticed a green and brown rose thorn barely sticking out.  
"Oh, that reminds me…" I began. "Why do you have roses in your hair?"  
He gave me an explanation, but it didn't seem right. I compared it to the demon one, and it was very off. I think he was avoiding something.  
"Shuichi," I started, but he cut me off.  
"Katsuragi-san," he started, but I copied his previous move.  
"Hatsune."  
He paused and nodded. "Hatsune, can you only call me that in school and around your friends?"  
I fell right back into the land of the confused. "Sure?"  
"Please, call me Kurama, just don't ask about it right now."  
"As long as you let me stand up in the next few minutes."  
With that, he allowed me to stand, and he was right; I was a little shaky, so I fell to the floor. I just sat there for a little while he stood up and brushed off.  
"Thank you, Kurama."

It was four o'clock, and Riho and Kuraiya ran into the house. I was not surprised. I sat on the couch and was planning some of the later parts of the English project. I continued even after Kurama left.  
"Une, Une, Une-chaaaaaaan!" Kuraiya whined as he sat next to me and gave me a death-gripped hug.  
"Kuraiya, I can barely breathe."  
He abruptly let go of me and smiled. I'm guessing he was glad I was fine.  
Riho sat diagonal to us and she demanded some answers.  
I tried to explain to the both of them as much as I could, but that wasn't much. Then they asked about Shuichi, and that I could explain, but I left certain parts out. I tried to make it seem plausible and they bought it, but I think they still had suspicions.  
After the heated question and answer session, Riho randomly pulled out paper and a pencil. She began to write things down.  
Kuraiya and I looked at her like she was crazy. I thought she was writing down what we just talked about, but she paused and showed us the list. It was a grocery list.  
"I'm going at five," she stated.  
"I'll go with you," Kuraiya said.  
"Sounds like a night out, then," I said as I agreed to go.  
Both of them looked at me. "No, do not make me stay here."  
They looked at each other then around the house. They would let me go as long as I didn't pass out. Right as they said it, they took it back. They made up the excuse that someone had to watch Katsuya.  
So, I stayed and watched him as they wanted me to, but I asked them to pick up some things for him. They stuff I had was running super low.  
They finished their list and decided to leave early. They waved as they left and yelled something about being back by seven.  
I walked into my room and noticed that Katsuya was rolling around and giggling. He looked so cute at the moment. I picked him up and took him into the living room. I let him play with the few toys he had.  
At one point, he got too hyper and hit his head on the floor pretty hard. He cried, and gosh it was loud. So, I picked him up and bounced him a round until he calmed down a little bit. I smiled at him and kissed his head.  
"Aw… It'll be okay."  
I took him into the bedroom and put him down on the bed. He was still upset, but he was yawning. I stayed there until he fell asleep. I decided to shower while his mind was occupied on a date with sleep.  
Again, my shower was short. From all of the events of the day, I just felt a little icky. I dressed in my pajamas before I left the bathroom. I still had the towel wrapped around my head, and it was bothering me. I unwrapped it and dried most of my hair. My short brown hair fell out of it. I ran my hand through it. I felt a little blank at the moment.  
Honestly, I was glad it was Friday. I mean, I know I only started school yesterday and I referred to it as the 'beginning of the week', but I was so glad it was Friday. I just needed some sleep so no school to worry about in the morning.  
Riho and Kuraiya would be back soon, so I crawled into bed and fell asleep. This time, Katsuya was not in my arms.

I heard something close and footsteps, but I attributed it to Riho and Kuraiya stomping into the house. I rolled around and yawned as I tried to go back to sleep. I heard more footsteps, and honestly, they were freaking loud. I was getting a little pissed about the noise, but I tried to forget about it until I heard my door slam. I sat up, grabbed my cell and looked at the time. It was half past midnight. I leaned back. Not only was I pissed, but I was confused. I wondered who was in my room.  
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and looked up, but before I could get a good look something foreign hit my eyes, face, and body.  
That shocked the hell out of me for two reasons: I had no clue what that stuff was; however it was strangely familiar and Katsuya wasn't crying. The stuff was liquid-like and it tasted salty and metallic. I knew what it was- it was blood. And, at that moment I knew whose blood, but I didn't want to look down to my right to confirm it.  
But before I could give it another thought, I was grabbed by the collar. I was pulled close to whoever was in the room. In the process, I was stabbed a few times, but that didn't seem to faze me at the moment.  
I was loosing blood at a fast rate, but I remain conscious throughout the butchering session. Well, maybe semi-conscious; I couldn't understand a thing the person was saying to me.  
I was thrown back onto my bed and it felt good to be "free", but I began to freak out. I had just lost my kid, been stabbed, and now, I though I was going to get raped… Again.  
In order to shut myself up, I held my breath. I had some help in the process, too. This person reached out and choked me. I tried to breath, but that only lasted for a few seconds for that person's grip got tighter. Extremely tighter.  
In the midst of this assault, I heard more footsteps. I was confused, pissed, and worried. There were maybe three or four people I could hear running. I didn't know if they were in alliance with this asshole or if they were against him, but I was safely guessing that they weren't for my aid, so I vainly began fighting back.  
I heard the front door fling open and people running in the general direction of the door. I was lifted from the bed and thrown across the room. I was acquainted with the wall in a manner that I wished I had never known. It hurt, and I think a few ribs were cracked in the process.  
Whoever the jerk was decided that it would be a good time to leave.  
Damn him.  
My door opened and four people rushed in. Two continued out the window and pursued the guy while two stopped and slowly approached my beaten form.  
My eyes were closed, so I didn't immediately recognize people. I could feel one of them moving certain parts of my body to see if they were intact. I opened my eyes and saw a familiar sight- red hair.  
At first I thought it was Kuraiya, but he would have gone into frenzy by now, so my mind shuffled a little bit. I felt sudden pain, and I flinched and whined a little. My eyes at that point were opened all the way, and I saw his face.  
Kurama.  
Oh, the confusion swept me away. I tried to speak, but I was silenced long before I could begin. I remembered that there was supposed to be another person, and I looked around. It didn't take me long to see a short guy in a black coat. I stared at him for a little bit. I noticed his eyes- they were a full, rich red. It was sickening at the moment- the color, that is.  
I looked back to Kurama and attempted to ask him something, but before I could I began to get dizzy. My breathing became shallow, and my heart finally stopped beating again. I was actually wondering when that would happen.  
The last footsteps I heard were light and quick, and again, came in the general direction of my room. The door was still open, so there was no more slamming and flinging.  
With the last of my energy, I looked over and saw Kuraiya. He looked like he was ready to cry. I think he was super pissed.  
And, all I could do was smile gently and say, "Hi, Kuraiya."


	5. It's Just a Dream

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

**A/N: The dream sequence later in the chapter will be italicized.**

Chapter Five: It's Just a Dream

* * *

The smell of roses infused the room and invaded my nasal cavity. It was pleasant and very relaxing. The surrounding area was quiet except for the common noises of a house at night. I idly rolled over onto my left side and looked around. The room was very organized and plain. There weren't decorations or frames hanging from the wall. Everything was grounded.

At my own pace, I sat up, but it was painful. I glanced down to notice many bandages around my torso. Some of them were a little bloody, but I think that's because I made an effort to sit up. I leaned back and relaxed against the headboard. That was enough elevation for me for even then I still ached.

I sighed. My mind ran through the thoughts of the day: the attack, the shock, everything that I was stunned about. It was incredibly fast-paced.

I wondered about Kuraiya mostly. I only remember seeing him pissed and ready to let the waterfall drown everyone and everything in that room. I had no clue what happened after that, but I knew I was moved.

I made sure I was wearing sufficient clothing, then I forced myself to stand and walk. Opening the door, I looked around and noticed a few more doors and a hallway leading to stairs. I could hear talking from multiple mouths. I swore one was Kuraiya. I listened harder, and my hunch was right. His loud mouth was recognized by my groggy state.

I leisurely walked down the stairs. It's not like I could've taken it any faster. At the base, they voices were super loud, and I heard someone get up and begin walking closer, in my general direction. I walked toward the voices, but before I could get there I ran into the lanky carrot-top. He flipped out.

"Hey! What are you doing out of bed? You'll hurt yourself!" he exclaimed loudly.

His voice gave me a throbbing tension headache. The worse part was it hurt very badly right behind the eyes.

"No, you'll hurt me with your voice," I said blandly. Really, he did. I mean, I don't think a bottle of Tylenol could cure this.

He mumbled something and huffed a little bit. He was annoyed, but I didn't care. He was the source of my current and prominent pain.

He took my wrist and dragged me into the living room. There were many faces I recognized, but there was one that was new. Kurama and Kuraiya I could tell and name. There was that black-haired boy, Yusuke, I think. And, this carrot-top I recognized by sight, but who could forget him. And, that short boy with the black cape I remember, too. The girl with the blue hair and street clothes was sitting next to some guy with a pacifier in his mouth. I saw her before, but not him.

The guy with the pacifier got up and walked up to me. He held his hand out and I shook it with my only free one.

"Hello," he began, "my name is Koenma."

"Uh, hi?" That's all I could manage to say. The pacifier in his mouth intrigued me. I mean, he looks like he's in his late teens and he has one of those in his mouth.  
Then that blue-haired chick walked up to me and smiled. "I'm Botan. I ferry souls of the dead."

I looked at her differently. I knew I wasn't dead, but that was a hell of a way to introduce yourself.

"Pleasure to meet you." Honestly, I just wanted her to back up a few steps. I would've felt much better.

Randomly, she hugged me tightly, and it hurt like a mother.

"Botan," I uttered, "I think I'm bleeding."

She immediately let go, and I was right. One of the wounds opened up and bled lightly. There wasn't any on her, but there was enough on me.

Kuraiya went into his trademark frenzy and hopped up. And, for the love of his lack of common sense, he tripped over his own two feet. In order for him to not take me down with him, I had to hold a hand out, but that resulted in my punching him in the face on accident.

"Oh, crap. Kuraiya, are you okay?"

He slid off my hand and hit the floor. He provided one thumb up, but he wasn't exactly fine. He rolled over and stood up. There was a nice print of my fist on his right cheek. I tried not to smile or laugh, but I failed in smiling.

"Sorry."

He pouted. "You did it on purpose."

"No, I did this on purpose." I pushed him back into his seat with one finger. I was surprised that he didn't take me with him. But, I think it was because I put him in a slightly bad mood.  
I looked at my other occupied wrist. It was remarkable that carrot-top hadn't released it.

"May I have my wrist?"

He looked down and turned a little pink. He forgot that he had grabbed it. Letting go of it, I took a seat next to the Botan.

It was silence. Very, very silent. I think I ended intruding on the conversation.

Out of nowhere, the black-haired kid began to introduce everyone. I didn't give it too much thought; however, I did pay enough attention to learn everyone's name.  
Then, Koenma began to explain everything. There were some things I had no clue about, but I tried to follow. Then, he mentioned someone named Shigure. He looked at me and asked me question, but it was obvious I had missed something. The inquiries had went right over my head.

"Woah. Rewind." I said in a voice with a hint of annoyance. "Who the hell is Shigure?"

Pretty much everyone looked at me like I was dumb.

"Excuse my ignorance…" I mumbled.

Koenma sighed and backed up a little bit. Now, I knew what was going on. Somewhat, anyway. He then repeated his question and I answered them as best I could.

I don't think he got all of what he needed because he looked like he had a headache. He rubbed his forehead with both hands and thought about something.

That short dude I saw in my room asked me something I thought was a little too forward, but I understood it, which was great.

"Why are you still alive?"

That pretty much shocked everyone in the room. It really pissed off Kuraiya, but I didn't mind the question so much.

"I'm lucky, I guess."

With that tension fading, the room became slightly more talkative. Botan began talking to me and I attempted to make conversation with her. She wanted to know about me and what I've done and all that stuff. I felt like I was in one of those questionnaires they ask people in order to match them up with dates. It was awkward.

I heard a cell phone ring. I identified the ringtone- it was Kuraiya's phone. My guess was Riho was calling. He only looked at it and rejected the call.

"I better leave." That was all he said. He waved at me and left. He just didn't seem himself.

Now that he was gone everyone sort of centered on me. It got serious, and it got there freakin' fast.

"Hatsune, do you have any clue why Shigure would be trying to kill you?" Koenma asked.

I looked at him with two looks he could make out: 'was he stupid?' and 'do you not remember that I don't know the guy?'.

He looked a little nervous, but I blew it off. I was just in a really bad mood. Today sucked to the max.

Koenma mumbled something about Makai, demon rulers and Mukuro.

I was back in my completely thrown off state. He discussed the topic with the four guys and Botan. I felt like the only person at the dance with out a date. I was getting super tired and I let out a yawn. It wasn't loud or anything, but everyone seemed to notice it.

Carrot-top was the first to take action. "I think you should go to sleep."

I was about to make a smart remark, but I held it in. I didn't want to use something that epic on him. All I did was smile lightly.

He was irritated and baffled. The look on his face gave it up. He tried to reprimand me, but I completely ignored him. He mentioned something about being like the shrimp over there.  
I just shrugged. I knew nothing about the guy he was referring to. I would probably get along with him better if I wasn't so pissed, tired, confused and everything else I can't think of at the moment.

Kurama got up, calmed carrot-top down, and motioned for me to follow him. I'm assuming it was to go upstairs. So, I did. I didn't have a problem with getting out of a mist of bewilderment.

At the top of the stairs, he noticed how pale I was.

"Are you okay? You're not light-headed are you?"

"Other than the blood loss and fatigue, I'm fine."

I completely missed the last step and fell right on my face. I cursed myself for being stupid enough to do that. It hurt. I didn't care about the embarrassment- that was another would that had to heal and be a pain for a while.

He helped me up and into the same bedroom I came out of about two hours ago.

"Is this your room?"

"Yes. Something wrong?"

"Heavens, no. It's quite lovely, actually. I like the way it smells."

In the process of helping me, another one of my wounds decided to be evil. But, this one wasn't light. He made me sit on the floor while he went to the bathroom to get a first aid kit. It wasn't long before he came back and began to clean the wound.

Three or four of them were infected, so I figured it might be better if I showered, then cleaned them. He agreed with that idea. Kurama walked out of his room and into another. He came back with a robe, a towel and some oversized pajamas. Well, they were oversized for me- I'm sure they fit him well.

"Is half an hour enough time for you to shower?"

I was a little thrown off, but I answered. "Yeah, it's plenty. Why?"

"I'll clean and dress your wounds when you're done."

"Oh, I can do that. You don't have to."

"Including the one on your back?"

Okay, so he had me there. I forgot about that one.

"Yeah… Half an hour is fine." All I could do was smile.

He told me which door led into the bathroom and he went downstairs.

I sighed and grabbed the stuff he gave me plus a plastic bag. I didn't want to wear these clothes again, and I didn't want them to stain the floor.  
Come to think of it, I didn't know how I got here. Well, I could assume, but I didn't want to.

I walked to the door, but I heard someone coming up and fast. It was Botan.

"Do you mind if I quickly use the bathroom?"

"Not at all."

She was only a minute or two, so it wasn't a big deal. I had a good twenty-five minutes to shower and get decent.

I stripped the filthy, bloodstained clothes off my body. I had so many stab wounds, and I hated the way the infected ones looked. They were disgusting. On another disgusting note, I looked anorexic. I could see my ribs protruding out. My stomach wasn't flat; it curved in, even on the sides, too. My legs had some definition through muscle, so those weren't so bad. I felt and looked like a supermodel who had given birth: incredibly thin, but I had the bust, waist and hips going for me.

"Ew…" was the only thing I could say.

After admiring myself for a few minutes, I turned the water on and hopped into the shower. The water felt great; it was warm and the current was fast and full. Completely amazing was the best way to describe it.

I concentrated on cleaning myself before relaxing in the water. Washing my hair and face came first. Then, the buggers on my torso were next. Cleaning was one thing. Scraping and cleaning the infected ones hurt like a mother. I did it anyway.

The first few weren't so bad, but the last one was hell. I actually fell to my knees it hurt that badly. I let it drain all the nasty, yellow pus before I wiped it. When I did that it bled out. I gave it a little before I applied pressure. I leaned back against the shower wall and relaxed. I knew it would be a while, so I figured now would be a good time to chill.

I didn't realize that I was so tired I would drift off to sleep while showering.

* * *

_My friends and I crashed this high school party in Philadelphia. It was everything and more than what went around the nearby middle school. There were cute guys, great music, and, of course, sluts. But the last one didn't damper the fun at the party._

__

Everyone thought we were from the high school on the north side of town. That was the prep school, but they were notorious for their 'candy bowl' parties. We went along with it. We met come awesome people. And, we even got into 'the room'. Oh, yeah, it was great.

The backroom was for select partygoers. It consisted of the hottest of the hot and the most popular. I sat next to this one guy: black hair, hazel eyes, and an athletic build. Oh, he was fine. We talked to each other more than we socialized with the rest of the group.

I noticed people walking in and out. They dressed like waiters and waitresses. They brought food and drinks in and out every once in a while. It was nice, actually.  
I hadn't had anything to drink the entire night. I wasn't thirsty, but that guy kept going on about this drink and that drink. Eventually he and I left the backroom and went into the massive common area.

He grabbed two drinks and gave me one. It looked like regular coke, but he mentioned whiskey being in it. I tried it just because and I didn't care for it much.

He took me behind the bar area where all the liquids and liquors were stored. He pulled out a few bottles and gave me a couple. Then we left and headed away from the common area.

I thought we were going back to the backroom, but instead of going downstairs we went upstairs. My first idea was there was another 'room', but that didn't make any sense.

We arrived at the third floor and there were seven rooms. Three had occupied signs. Those were the ones all the way in the back.

"Let's go in the first one on the right," he said.

I just followed. I had no clue what was going on.

Before the door closed, I saw him reach for the knob on the other side of the door. I didn't give it much thought and I walked over to the table and set the stuff down.

It was a lavish room. The table was a nice oak, the floor had solid wood panels and the bed had silk sheets and it was a queen or king size. It had side panels so curtains could be hung. And, the curtains there were a nice, bold blue.

I walked over to the bed and sat on it. I was magnificent. I leaned back onto the pillows. I loved how comfortable it was.

The guy I was with walked over with two bottles and sat next to me. He handed me one, told me it was vodka. He indulged in it and finished it before I had even taken three gulps of mine.  
"Hey, what's your name?" I asked him. I had been hanging out with him for how long and I didn't know who he was.

"I'm Adrian," he said slowly. He stopped between his two words and looked a little odd.

I think he was drunk.

Before I could ask him something else, he took my bottle and drank about half of what was left. He gave it back to me. I drank the rest, which happened to be less than half of the bottle. He took it away and threw it across the room. It hit the floor and rolled a little. I was surprised that it didn't break.

I leaned forward to look at it, but he pushed me back. I looked directly at him and he leaned in very close. Close enough to kiss me. That's exactly what he did.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to return the kiss or push him off me, but I didn't have much time to think about that since he was leaning on my rib cage and pushing down on it every once in a while. That made it hard to breathe.

I attempted to push him off me, but that made the situation at hand worse. His lips pushed harder against mine and he opened his enough to push his tongue against my teeth. While that was going on, his grip on my left side and right arm tightened to the point of bruising and a little cut that bled slightly.

I had to breathe, but I didn't want to open my mouth. The residual taste of heavy amounts of vodka was very evident, and it sickened me. But, in order to remain conscious, I took a breath at the cost of letting his tongue delve into my mouth.

I concentrated so much on not wanting the kiss that didn't really notice what his hands were doing; they were moving up my shirt and unhooking my bra. Then, he was unbuttoning my shirt. Eventually the shirt and the bra hit the floor. I only noticed that when I suddenly felt cold.

I pushed him hard enough to stop kissing me, but that earned me a slap across the face and a few insults.

The boy was a violent drunk.

He pinned me down on the bed and held me with one knee to my lower back. The amount of pressure he applied was extreme. But, while he was restraining me, he was undressing himself. Before he moved his knee, he opened up the drawer on the side table and pulled out four things: handcuffs, a whip, a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

He handcuffed my wrists behind my back and moved his knee. He turned me around and reached for my belt. It was off fast along with my jeans. The only thing left was underwear, same as him.  
He opened the pack and lit one. He smoked for a while and I just watched. I wasn't sure what to do, but I didn't think yelling would help. Third floor and loud party downstairs just wasn't working in my favor.

He finished his cigarette, but he didn't blow out the last of the smoke. I was a little perplexed until he leaned in and kissed me hard again. That smoke was partly blown into my mouth and the other part met the air.

I coughed, which didn't help me. I actually ended up inhaling more than I thought. My cough must have pissed him off because he hit me with the whip three times: two on my hip and one on my chest. None of them broke skin, but it sure as hell irritated it.

Then everything moved fast. Any clothing on was removed, pillows were thrown, and I was pushed onto the bed, prostrate and thoroughly vulnerable

.  
I began to feel the buzz of the alcohol and cursed it. This was not the time for it. It made my reflexes and responses slow which merited more lashes.

For at least an hour, I was beaten, lashed, bitten, sliced, thrown around and repeatedly raped.

I had no saving grace. Any time he stopped to take a smoke or alcohol break, it hurt way more than when I was being tortured. My entire body was covered in lash marks or blood, and in some areas, both. Alcohol being poured on my open wounds or the cigarette butt being put out on my wrist hurt the least.

He was getting tired, so I hoped it would end soon. I was tired, but I didn't give sleep a thought. I wanted this to end, and I wanted it to end soon. No matter how badly it was going to hurt.  
I was still prostrate when he took my left wrist and yanked me up to him. He pressed his body against my sore being. I glared at him, but all he did was smile. The bastard was that drunk. He leaned forward and that caused both of us to fall back onto the bed. In my case, it hurt.

It began oddly from the rest of the events. He kissed me gently and put one hand on my hip and the other under my jaw, which ended up wrapping around to the backside of my neck.

I wasn't even thinking when I returned the kiss. That unintentional invitation led to the last round of pain: he stopped kissing me and ran to third.

Flat out, it hurt. His fingers were rough and dry. He constantly moved fingers in and out of my vaginal cavity. Hell, he even added one or two.

I winced and whimpered, but it was in vain.

He laughed at my pain. He enjoyed my pain.

"I'm almost done," he whispered into my ear.

That made me shiver because there were few possibilities on what he could mean.

I felt his erection rubbing against my genitalia.

That made me shiver worse. I didn't want anymore of that. It was sore inside and outside. I had tears on the outside, and I was sure I had some on the inside.

I felt tears drop from my eyes. I knew this was going on hurt the most. I wasn't distracted by other pain anymore; it was only this.

I felt Adrian thrust his penis into my vagina. He pushed in and out while holding me down with one hand on my hip and the other on my shoulder. That continued for a few minutes, and it unexpectedly ceased.

I opened my eyes and looked at him dazed. He only smiled.

That's when I felt that he had ejaculated. He fell on top of me and stayed there until I pushed him off. That too didn't help my current state. My hands were still cuffed behind me. I searched the open drawer for the key and found it, but I had to fish for it with my mouth.

I got it, but I had to drop it on the floor and pick it up with my hands somehow. It took me about ten minutes to get it and another ten to get it into the first lock. After the first one, the second one came off with out a problem. I dropped the cuffs and searched for all of my clothes.

I got dressed and ran out of the room. I left the house and ran home. It was well after three in the morning when I climbed up the tree and got into my bedroom through the window.

* * *

I woke up while being lifted out of the bathtub. I looked up to see Kurama holding me with one arm and his other arm was reaching for gauze and disinfectant. He set me down on the cold floor and cleaned and patched up my oozing wound. He grabbed the robe and wrapped me in it then turned the shower off.

I didn't know if I was supposed to be worried or embarrassed, but I don't think that should have been my main concern at the moment.

He helped me up and we walked to his room. He made me sit on his bed while he bandaged the rest of the stab wounds. I just sat there mildly quiescent. I didn't say anything until he finished.

"Uh, I'm sorry…"

My head was down, but I think he glanced up.

"For what?"

I tilted my head over and looked at him sideways. "For what just happened. For being a bit of a burden."

He patted my head gently. "No burden at all. Just get some sleep or you'll be one in the morning."

I sighed deeply and placed my head in my hands with my elbows on my knees. This just wasn't the day for anything.

He sat next to me and loosely held me with one arm. I sat up a little and leaned toward him. After a while, he held me with both arms and shifted to where we were both on the bed, lying down and quite cozy.

Tiredness was beginning to conquer. I used Kurama's chest as a pillow and gradually drifted off to a peaceful slumber.


	6. The Shocking Truth

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Six: The Shocking Truth

Sunday morning was a bit hellish when it first began. My human pillow was nowhere near and my hair was still wet from that shower. My hair stuck out in many different directions and it even flipped at little on certain pieces.  
That annoyed me.  
I walked to the bathroom and noticed the towel and clothes were still there. I used the towel to dry and attempt to fix some of my hair. It dried up, but the flips were still there and the frizz became noticeable. I would get over it.  
I untied the robe and changed into the pajamas I had. They were loose on me, but it was better than nothing. I placed the robe on the hooks behind the door to dry and walked downstairs.  
I heard talking. I heard talking cease. Whoever was there knew I was there.  
I walked into the kitchen and saw Kurama and that short guy with the black coat. He just sat there and looked at me. His stare bothered me a little bit. It seemed that was the only look he could produce. The only one I seemed to notice anyway.  
"Good morning, Katsuragi-san. Did you sleep well?" Kurama asked. He took a sip of whatever he was drinking. I assumed it was tea.  
"Uh, yeah, and it's Hatsune; not Katsuragi-san." I was still trying to figure out why that guy was staring at me.  
He stood up and left.  
I could hear a voice inside my head. The only thing it said was, 'You're not too bright, are you?'  
That threw me off. The super confused look came straight back to my face.  
"Don't mind, Hiei."  
I just nodded and sat where he once was. Kurama got up and grabbed a cup and poured tea into it. He set it down in front of me; I thanked him.  
I was quiet for a few seconds. Then I asked him something.  
"Oolong tea?"  
"Not quite."  
"You going to tell me?"  
"No."  
I just smiled at the cup and took another sip. I would try to figure it out, but I wasn't sure that if I did he would tell me. At this rate, I don't think he would.  
As soon as I set the cup down, he asked me about what happened last night. I knew it would come up sometime, but I didn't think it was going to be this soon or at this time.  
"I fell asleep." I answered.  
"And, that's all?"  
Oh, he was good at trying to probe and get the specifics.  
"I had a dream of something that actually happened." I did my best to try to keep it vague, but I think he was looking for the most specific answer possible.  
"You mean the night you were raped."  
I just looked at him in awe, but there was some shock that accompanied it.  
"Damn." I first said. I paused and my mind ran in circles for a little bit.  
"And, you figured this out how?"  
"You'll learn about it in time."  
I hate it when people do that. I usually miss that time and end up remaining confused. I thought about it for a few minutes, and I gave it up for the time being. Maybe I would figure it out later.  
"Oh, Kurama, what was Kuraiya doing here yesterday?"  
That sparked a thought apparent. He walked into the living area and came back with a slip of paper.  
"He and his cousin moved in with her sister. Here's the address. The house is taped off and what not." He handed me the paper and I looked at the place.  
_Didn't know Riho had a sister._  
"So, my clothes and stuff?" I wondered where those were since this was brought up.  
"I put them in the guestroom. I didn't want to wake you. Kuraiya came by about an hour ago to drop them off."  
_I will have to thank him later._  
"Am I staying here?" I asked lightly. I wanted to know. Everything was getting uneasy fast, so I shouldn't be surprised, but I still wanted to know.  
"Yes."  
One more book on the shelf of uneasiness.  
I stood up and turned to walk away, but he held my wrist.  
"Uh, yes?"  
He pulled me over a few inches and checked the bandages. He poked a few of them, and it hurt a little, but nothing that was going to incapacitate me. He let go of my wrist and let me be.  
I walked back upstairs and looked for my clothes. I wanted to change. The pajamas I was wearing were a little too loose. I kept pulling at them to stay where they should be.  
The guestroom was the next room from Kurama's. I opened the door and it was more embellished than his. It was a very nice room, but it had no special scent. Oh well.  
I noticed my stuff on the floor and walked over to it. I didn't have much, so it wasn't hard to figure out that everything was there. Good ol' Kuraiya. There was a note, too.  
_  
Une-chan,  
Hope you're okay. As you can see, all of your stuff is in the duffel bag. Hope you like staying with Shuichi. (Riho is super pissed by the way.)  
See you at school Monday morning.  
Kuraiya_

That made me smile for multiple reasons. I opened my bag and dug out some clothes. I decided that it was going to be sweatpants and a loose crew neck kind of day. I grabbed black sweats and a "bam" purple top. I even decided on a white a-shirt under it.  
I looked around for the undergarments. It was more like delving into the damn bag and wanting to toss things out.  
"Don't tell me Kuraiya forgot to put them in or purposely didn't put them in here…" I said to myself in a whispering manner.  
They were in the front pocket with my toothbrush and other hygienic products.  
So, in honor of black sweats, black undergarments will be worn.  
I tossed what I had off and threw what was in my hand on. I tied my hair back. Today was a lazy day. I just didn't care at the moment. I was still a little tired, but I would get over it.  
I walked back downstairs and I decided that sitting on the couch would be nice. So, I did. Kurama was on the other side of the couch. I took a seat and just chilled until he spoke some five minutes later.  
"You up for walking today?"  
"Yeah, I guess. Just to walk?"  
"There's someone I think you should meet."  
"Okay then. Let's go."  
We left his house and headed out. It took sometime to get to wherever we were going. I didn't pay much attention, but we got off a train and ended up in the middle of nature. We walked and walked and walked. I wondered how much longer, but I figured we were at the designated destination when I saw a massive amount of stairs.  
"A temple?"  
"Not quite." Kurama began to walk up the stairs.  
I stared at it for a second or two before I began my ascent. It wasn't a long way up. I was surprised. I didn't have time to think about anything. I was mesmerized by the trees and such around the temple.  
He waited on me at the top. I picked up the pace a little.  
He led me into the entrance of the temple. Just from there it was massive. I was completely taken aback.  
I heard Kurama calling for a Genkai, and I saw this old, short lady with light pink hair come from one of the back rooms.  
She walked up to the both of us. She greeted Kurama and she just looked at me.  
"You're too much like that idiot," she told me.  
"That idiot?" I asked her. I didn't know who she was referring to.

"Genkai, what do you mean?" Kurama asked her. I think he knew who, but he just wasn't seeing the connection.  
"Her spirit energy flows in a similar pattern to his. It just happens to point to her left hand unlike his right. Are you left handed?"

"Yes. And what's spirit energy and who are you talking about?"  
She motioned for both of us to sit down at the table a few feet away. She explained a few things to me and for some of them Kurama had to dumb down so I could understand it completely.  
While I was getting the hang of things, her front doors flew open and Yusuke and carrot-top ran in. They ran all the way to the table and stopped to take a breath.  
"Hey, grandma," Yusuke began. He got hit for that, but he still continued with what he was going to say. "I need to borrow these two."  
I looked at him oddly. What did he need with me? Kurama I could understand, but me? I finally understood something, and now I was thrown right out of the loop.  
Botan walked in at that moment. "Sorry to intrude, but we need to be going."  
I followed the group out of Genkai's temple. I had no clue what was about to go down, but I would eventually find out. Maybe it pertained to the spirit energy she spoke of.  
While I thought, the group formed a circle and began to talk. They were loud enough for me to hear, but I couldn't understand everything they were saying. Botan turned to look at me and motioned for me to come over. She pulled me the last few steps and when I was about to ask her something, we teleported.  
That was the oddest feeling I'd ever experienced.  
We ended up in a large hallway with incredulously tall ceilings. It was intricately lavish. We walked forward and ran into the short guy. He joined the group and we proceeded into a larger room. I looked around, but the only thing that caught my attention was this floating toddler. He reminded me of the teenage Koenma I met at Kurama's house.  
Wait a freakin' Philly minute: that is Koenma. The 'Jr' symbol is not mistakable.  
"You're a toddler…" I mumbled.  
He didn't look too happy about my remark.  
"Yes, I am; however, I am far older than you." He floated over to his desk and sat. He began shuffling through his files and pulled one out. He floated back over and handed me the file.  
"Did you know your biological parents aren't your biological parents?"  
"What the hell… That makes no sense." I opened the file and looked at it. It was all about me, Hatsune. I flipped through things and was shocked at one of the pictures.  
"Who's this?" I held up the picture to Koenma.  
The person, rather demon in the picture had some human qualities, but it was obvious that he was not of Human world.  
"Why don't you ask Yusuke that question?"  
I showed the picture to Yusuke. He was in front of me, so it wasn't that hard just to hold it up. He stared at it, and I guess it took a little, but when it hit him, he got super pissed.  
"Koenma, you bastard. Is this some sick joke?"  
"No. No, joke, Yusuke."

The quarreled a little bit, but I shut them up with my loud question.  
"Hey, damn it! Who is this?"  
Yusuke didn't answer and Koenma didn't answer. This was really annoying.  
Koenma sighed. "Fine, I'll explain. Though he's not your biological father…" He got hit by Yusuke.  
All I could hear was something about bastard, sick child, dirt bag, kick your ass, and mumbling. I just waited. Eventually he would quit beating him up. But, while that went on, I read through the file, and I got a few questions answered.  
Apparently, my real mother was a demon who was a servant to this Raizen guy. He owned her so to speak. But, my mother betrayed his leadership and got pregnant with a servant who was under the leadership of someone named Mukuro.  
"Who is Mukuro?"  
Hiei didn't look to happy that I had asked that. Kurama seemed detached from all of this, but I knew he knew something.  
"Rather, why are you bothering to bring this up to me?"  
Koenma was done with his beating, and he looked like hell. "Because," he initiated, "you've been summoned by both of them, but I obviously can't send you to both of them."  
I listened to him, but I kept shifting through the file. I wasn't recognizing any faces in the pictures, but I didn't expect to. But, I did come across that one guy that I saw in the woods that first day Kurama came over.  
"Hey, I've seen him before."  
Koenma floated over and explained to me that the demon was Shigure and he was a person of high rank to Mukuro. Koenma mentioned a few other things, but he hadn't mentioned why either one of those demon lords wanted me.  
"What do either one of them want with me?" I asked, even though I figured I shouldn't have.  
"Either to kill or train you."  
He then looked at Yusuke. "They're planning a war again."  
With that, Koenma disappeared and Botan then came into play. "I think we should talk this over at Master Genkai's."  
We walked out of the massive structure and left. I was informed that where we just had been was called Spirit World. She explained a few other things on the way back to Genkai's. When we arrived, it looked like Genkai was waiting our arrival.  
"So, you've brought me another bone-headed trouble maker that needs training?"  
I knew she was talking about me, but how she got trouble maker was beyond me. Bone-headed I might be able to follow, but the latter, no.  
"Well, I wasn't going to ask you that now, but that's a good possibility," Botan said with a half smile.  
The old lady walked over to me and threw a few punches, but for some reason none of them hit me. They happened to stop about an inch short. She touched where her punches ended; there was a shield there.  
"Well, at least you have good defenses." She walked back to her table.  
Carrot-top seemed amazed, but I was trying to figure out how that happened. I let confusion creep up to the surface of my face, and the old lady scoffed.  
"That's great. I thought you knew what you were doing."  
"Not a clue."


	7. Awkward Events

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya. And now I own Rahvanna.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Seven: A Day of Awkward Events

The alarm echoed lightly through the guestroom. I looked up and saw the time flashing. Reaching out to stop the ruckus, the door opened. I sat up and rubbed my face as Kurama walked in. He happened to be fully dressed and ready to go.

"Kurama, it's only four thirty…" I said groggily.

He sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm aware of that. Clean up and get ready. It'll probably take you a while."

He left the room and I fell back onto the bed. I sighed heavily and forced myself to roll off the bed. I lost the comfort and warmth of the sheets right then. I dragged my feet as I set off for the bathroom. My shower was quick; I just had to clean up and fix my hair a little bit.

I hopped out. The cold shower was enough to make me 'spring into action'. I set the part in my hair as I dried off and walked out to get my uniform. I grabbed all of my necessary articles and threw them on as I tried to dry my hair.

I ran downstairs as I untied my socks. (That's how I kept track of them.) I walked into the kitchen and sat down. Kurama was doing something, but I was concentrating too much on these socks. I tied it a little too tight, so I was having some early morning fun.

He set tea down on the table, but again, I was tied up with my socks. After a few minutes, I got them untied, but they were really stretched out at that point. Perfect. I would deal with that problem later. I put them on and just left my shoes on the kitchen floor. I would get to those after I had some tea.

Well, I thought it was tea. When I picked it up, I smelt a strong aroma coming from the cup- coffee. Coffee and I don't see eye to eye, so I avoid it at all costs. Besides, it tastes bad anyway.

"Something wrong?" Kurama asked.

"I don't drink coffee."

Randomly, the door opened and into the kitchen walked Hiei.

"Fox, we're needed elsewhere."

Fox? Why was he calling Kurama fox? That was something else I was assuming I would learn later.

Kurama looked at his watch for a little before he sighed. He got up and followed Hiei. But, before he left, he told me that he would be at school. He just didn't know when.  
I leaned back in the chair and just took a moment to chill. I let all of the information in the last few days sink in and organize itself. Maybe I would catch onto something I missed in one of my hazes.

I didn't have too much time to think about it, though. I wanted to get to school early so I could talk to Kuraiya and Riho. It had only been two days, but I missed them. I went back upstairs to grab my books. I wondered about grabbing Kurama's, but I went against it. For one, I wasn't sure what to do with out other than the obvious; and two, I was afraid I'd misplace it.

I ran down the stairs, put my shoes on, and walked out the door. I not so happily headed out to school. Maybe Kuraiya and Riho would make my day. Well, Riho might give me hell for staying at Kurama's, but somehow, she would eventually make my day.

I got to school a good forty minutes early. I dropped off my book in the classroom and I wandered the halls for a bit. I got nosy and read some of the bulletins. There was something about school wide testing in preparation for midterms, but midterms weren't anytime soon. I guess this school takes their ranking pretty damn seriously.

I checked out lasts year's scores and damn; Kurama pretty much owned every category, including English. I wanted to see if I could own English considering I spent about two years in America. Kuraiya and Riho might score high there, too.

I heard my name being called. I looked around until I saw red and black hair. Kuraiya and Riho were here early. Not a big surprise, but I didn't think we'd run into each other this soon.

"Hey, kid. What's going on?" Kuraiya asked as he hugged me.

Riho was waiting for her chance to hug me. She rocked back and forth on her feet.

"Pretty good. Come here, Riho. I want a hug from you, too."

Kuraiya looked at the scores as Riho and I exchanged a hug and began to chat. "Wow, this kid is good."

"Who?" Riho asked him.

"Shuichi. He's the first on all five categories and overall." He paused as he thought about something. "I want to be first on at least one of those."

The prep exams were in five weeks, so each of us made it a goal to be in the top three or be number one in at least one of the six categories: math, science, English, civics, foreign language, and overall.

We walked the halls and chatted until the warning bell rang. We headed our separate ways and Kuraiya and I walked to our class. I wondered if Kurama was there already, but I wasn't too sure. Maybe I should've brought his books.

We walked into class and took our seats. He wasn't there yet.

Kurama walked in with the teacher. I seemed like they were having a small conversation about whatever. The last bell rang and he took his seat. He even had his books.

She began with physics. Oh, I really hated physics, but somehow I managed through the pain of its confusing world. I swear it had its own language. Hell, physics should be a foreign language.

While I was being baffled, the door opened and the principal and a new student walked in. I had my nose stuck in a book so I only heard talking. She asked us to stop what we were doing for a moment so we could meet the new exchange student from America.

Cripes. I return from America and they send on of their students here. I looked up to be pleasantly surprised. I knew this girl. She and I went to the same school in Philly. Oh, the horrible memories. She scared the shit out of me. Her demeanor appeared to be cool, but she had that aura about her. She spoke to me only once and it was to ask for gum. I gave her some, but it felt odd. Something about her was very off.

She teacher let out a burst of giggles and happy gestures. She looked at me and said, "She's from Philadelphia." Mind you, the 'l's were messed up so it sounded like 'Phiraderphia'.

All I could say was, "Yes, we went to the same school."

I couldn't remember her name, but I knew what she was about to do. She had that face. She didn't like the teacher's random giddiness. It bothered her.

I could see why; everything about her was black: her hair, nails, shoes, socks, jewelry (save the metal), and whatever else could possibly be black. Obviously she had to wear the uniform, but outside of school, I bet her clothes are all black.

I could see she was a fan of piercings and tattoos- they were apparent. She had her ears pierced all the way up and a few tattoos on her arms, hands, and one on her leg. Randomly, I noticed her bag. There were many things black, the bag included, but there was something that was an eye sore in comparison to the rest of her belongings- a fuzzy Hello Kitty keychain.

What… The… Hell?

"What's up? I'm Rahvanna Shallowgrave."

Mind you, she said that in English, so everyone looked at her weirdly. She had to repeat it in Japanese, but that didn't help everyone out much because of the 'l's in her name.

There was only one seat left in the room and it was the row to my left and one seat up from me. Basically, she sat across from Kurama.

The teacher continued her lesson until it was time to switch to English. Before she hopped into it, she gave us a pop quiz. I thought it was hella easy, but I could see some people really thinking about it. I was waiting for smoke to start rolling out of someone's ears.

After that, she made the announcement that the three week long project was cancelled. Instead, we were supposed to write an essay on whatever book we choose. It was due Friday, which sucked, but the contents of the essay were mild. We just had to analyze the tone in one chapter and compare it to another. I decided on Paradise Lost.

The English lesson was brief and relatively easy. She gave us a fifteen minute break before we moved onto the next subject.

Rahvanna turned to me and asked me for a pencil. I didn't freeze this time, but I felt off. Something about her made things different. I searched around in my bad and located one at the bottom. I forgot to organize this thing again. I handed it to her and she thanked me.

That seemed bipolar. She walked in all dark and gloomy and now she's moderately content and in a good mood. I think she may be bipolar, though I wasn't about to ask.  
I was very happy that math went by fast. Triangles were a pain, but easy. Lunch was here and that was elating; I would get a chance to hang with Riho and Kuraiya. I met them at the tree. I didn't think about bringing a sack lunch or anything, but they got a few extra food items for me. I was happy.

"So," Riho began. She was about to ask it. "What's it like living with Shuichi?"

Oh, I wanted to shoot her. A bunch of girls overheard her comment and ran over. They were yelling and mumbling and cursing my very existence before them. I think some even walked away crying. I mean, yeah he was good looking, but I didn't know his fan club was this massive. At that point, I was too pissed and preoccupied to answer her question. I was trying to fight off the horde of girls.

It didn't last long- I was saved by the bell. What a grace. I ran to PE and purposely left Riho behind. I didn't talk to her all class period and on top of the fan girl kick, I was trying to avoid Rahvanna.

The bell rang for the beginning of civics and foreign language. Because of this year's standardized test, we had to switch to learning romance languages and Latin. It was, well, interesting. Civics remained the same, but the languages were massively different. We had to learn at least five plus Latin, and we didn't get to choose them- the book did that for us.

And those two subjects went by SO slow.

Alas, the end of the day. I quickly grabbed my stuff and headed out to the hallway. I walked to my locker and got weird stares.

_Damn Riho's mouth._

I was putting books in and grabbing certain ones out when some girl walked up to me. I had no clue who she was, but I assumed she wanted to talk to me since she was just standing there.

"You need to stay away from my boyfriend, bitch." With that lovely comment, she left.

I saw Kurama walking in my general direction. That girl stopped him and was very clingy and I think affectionate in a very fake manner. She kept pointing at me and making pouty faces. I saw him talking to her, hopefully explaining the situation, but she didn't seem to understand if that was the case. She was getting pissed off and fast.

I left. I didn't want to see what was going to happen.

Hell, I didn't know he had a girlfriend, let alone one at this school.

I left the campus and headed toward my work site: the drug store. I knew I didn't start until tomorrow, but maybe I could just convince the guy to let me start today or do something for an hour or two.

When I got there, my wish was granted plus more. He had to leave for a family emergency, so he gave me the keys and off he went. He mentioned something about being back at the end of the week,

I guess I was supposed to open it whenever I could. But for now, I would be there from when I walked in to normal closing, which happened to be seven. I thought that was a little early, but I didn't give it too much thought.

It was a slow day. I had only a few customers pass in and out. I mainly rang up Tylenol anyway. When no one was there, I worked on my essay that was due at the end of the week. I might as well; I had nothing else to occupy myself at the moment.

Seven rolled around quickly and I closed shop. I locked the last door and left quickly. It wasn't super dark yet, but it was getting there. And it was approaching a little faster than I thought.

I walked at a normal to slightly fast pace. I was thinking about redoing my essay, but I wasn't too sure. Maybe I would have Kurama read it over,

_Oh shit._

I hadn't told him that I had a job! Oh, I hope he's not wondering where I am.

Well, at that moment, I had to wonder where I was. I wasn't accustomed to walking around town in the dark yet. And, come to think of it, I don't remember ever walking to Kurama's house. I was in trouble; deep, deep, trouble.

"Note to self: kick my ass later and take notes on how to get back to Kurama's."

With that being said, I heard a mild chuckle behind me. It was none other than the person I was thinking about- Kurama.

"I'll make sure you do that when we get back," he said with a small smile.

_Yeeeeeah…_

Walking with him was a little awkward. I was thinking about the events of the day, particularly the ones at school. I think he picked up on it because he began to speak about it. He explained his fan club of girls and smaller fan club of guys wanting to beat him in test scores.

I nodded as all of this was explained. Finally, something I could fully grasp. But, when he brought up his girlfriend, I felt slightly guilty for some reason. I mean, I didn't intentionally do anything. Well, not that I did anything, but I didn't know he had one.

"Don't worry about her. She and I broke up."

Hoooooh snap!

"Heh?"

All of this was going smoothly and then there came the bump in the road.

"I didn't cause that by chance, did I? She seemed pretty pissed at me."

He shook his head. "No, it wasn't you."

I could tell he was lying. Well, a small part anyway. I just let it be, though. It wasn't my business to be pushing the buttons on something I really knew nothing about anyway.

We arrived at his house and something came to mind.

"Kurama, where are your parents?" I wondered about that from day one. I mean, he lives with them, right?

"My mother is in the hospital with an infection. She'll be home in two days. I just wanted to make sure she was all right. That's when I ran into you."

Now I figured out why he was there, but that brought up an unaddressed and unhealed wound- Katsuya. I had blocked that from my mind and no one had mentioned it, which helped, but now that my mind was left to wander…

"Don't dwell on it. It's not healthy."

He was right; however, that was my kid, damn it. My only kid.

We stepped in and I immediately went upstairs to set my books down on the desk. I didn't run or anything; I just took a leisurely pace up to my room. I guess it was safe to call it my room now. I didn't even get to the door when I smelt a foul odor. I walked closer and knew it was coming from my room. I just stood there trying to pinpoint the smell before I walked in on it.

I heard Kurama walking up the stairs. He stopped about the same place I did and I knew he smelt that disgusting scent, too.

"You're not one for practical jokes much, are you?"

"Not particularly, especially one this foul."

I opened the door and flipped the light switch. It appeared normal at first glance, but when I walked in and looked over to the bed, my heart ceased for the first time in a few days. My eyes began to well up with tears. I was in disbelief. For a moment, I thought this was another nasty dream, that none of this was real.

I set my books down and walked toward my bed. It saw so much blood. It held a heavy stench. It was so potent I could have thrown up right then. I held that back as I reached out to touch the blood. It was real.

"Oh my," was all I could manage to let out.

Kurama walked in and noticed the fair amount of blood on the bed. I felt him grab my arms and pull me away from the scene. He forced me to walk out and to the bathroom to wash it off.

As I washed my hands, I could hear the front door open and close. I heard no voice save Kurama's.

"Hiei, we're upstairs."

I finished washing my hands and walked out of the bathroom as Hiei reached the top of the stairs. My heart had not resumed its beating and my face was tear stained at this point.

He gave it no thought as he passed me by and walked into the room which Kurama occupied.

Gosh, that room was filthy to me now.

Hiei was only in the room for a few minutes. He left with a sample of the blood, I'm assuming. That or he just liked holding a plastic bag with something in it. Kurama walked out and washed his hands.

While he did so, I tried to restart my heart. After a few tries, I gave up. I guess it would take its own course.

He walked out and looked at me. "We have something to do tonight."

I looked at him with curious but sad eyes. "What?"

"We're aiding Yusuke and Kuwabara. Hiei is gathering information."

I nodded. "What am I supposed to do?"

As if that was a cue, Botan and the detective appeared out of nowhere.

"Glad you asked," Yusuke stated.

He and Botan could tell I wasn't exactly happy, but they didn't pry at the moment. I guess they wanted to get this done first.

Botan began the explanation. "We're supposed to go to an old restaurant to get a good bit of information from a demon." She pulled out a picture. "His name is Koujo. He is a high stakes gambler and a fan of entertainment." She put a heavy emphasis on that last word.

"Entertainment?" I asked. I had a hunch, but I was aiming at specifics.

She had this happy look that turned sour super quick. "He likes his women dressed up like geishas, but at the end of the night, well… You know… They have to perform." Again, emphasis on the last word.

"Yeah, but we'll be done long before that," Yusuke pointed out.

I just nodded. It gave me something to think about other than what I just saw.

Botan pulled out two very gorgeous kimonos and ubis. She dragged me into Kuramas room and made me change into it. She changed into a more formal one. She even did the make up and hair while we were in there.

We walked out all decked out in everything a geisha was supposed to be in. Apparently, we were very sexy even though we were cover from head to toe, quite literally.

Yusuke and Kurama got to be lazy. All they had to do was thrown on a black suit with a white button up and black tie or be even lazier and throw on a yukata.

We walked down the stairs just short of the door and from there were teleported about a block from the establishment. Botan hid her device in her sleeve and we were accompanied by the guys in. She was with Yusuke and I with Kurama.

We were seated in the back, where everything was supposed to go down. Or so we thought. There was another room that was the real back room. That's where we needed to be, but Yusuke and Kurama had to convince the second-hand guys that they could play with the high rollers.

Kurama got in fast. So, while Yusuke struggled, Kurama and I were escorted into the back room. I got really nervous, but I definitely tried to hide it. My heart beat still hadn't returned and I didn't want some ugly old fat guy getting anywhere near me.

Kurama was shown the way to the table and I was shown another way. That was another reason to be nervous. I heard him trying to reason with the guy, but he stopped. I knew he had to keep his cover.

I was led to a large room with four other geishas. They all appeared older than me and they didn't look too happy to see me. I pretty much considered myself dead meat at this point.

I just sat and waited until whenever. I was assuming that was what I was supposed to do.

Randomly the only door opened and that same guy came. Botan was with him. It was somewhat good to know Yusuke had made it back there. She sat next to me and also got the stares of resentment.

"Be aware of everything from this point out," she whispered to me.

"What do you mean?"

"Every time someone leaves they have the option of having some fun, if you're following what I'm saying."

I nodded. "But, Yusuke and Kurama are supposed to stay until the end, right?"

She too nodded. "Yes, but make sure you handle the situation properly. Some will get you for longer periods of time. Depends on how much they pay for you."

I did NOT like the sound of that at all.

"Hey, Botan, where' Kuwabara. Kurama mentioned him earlier."

"Oh, he's our back up. If we get in a major rut with one of the customers, he's supposed to bail us out. He's one of the guards for the back rooms."

That made me feel a little better. I figured he would be checking on us periodically.

Again with that blasted door. That same mug, but this time a customer accompanied him. He looked around the room and all the older, more experienced geishas were really working it over time. I guess they wanted money.

He looked over at the two of us. He point to Botan, and I wished her the best of luck for the half an hour she was taken.

Before the door closed another man came.

_Woah, they're getting knocked out left and right._

He was rather young, clean and sharp in his suit. He looked around, but when he got to me, his mind was apparently made up. He pointed to me and gave the guy enough for what first seemed like a really long time. I didn't know how much it cost to have a geisha with you. I just got up and walked over before I got drug over.

Apparenty, I was his for a whole hour. A lot could happen, damn it.

I obediently walked. I didn't know that I had to pass the table. Kurama and Yusuke gave me passing glances and I gave them each a quick one. We got to the door and he knocked.

Kuwabara opened it and checked the stub and papers. He okayed it and let us through. He nodded at me and I at him.

I was taken to a room all the way at the back. I knew Botan was in one of the front rooms. There were two that had occupied labels on the door. I was let in first.

The room was spacious. It also happened to be gorgeous, but I had to stay focused.

I heard the door shut, but I didn't turn around. I just went along with my natural act. It had been the first time I'd been a geisha and been bought and led into a room of this magnitude.

My lack of attention to the guest threw me off when I felt my kimono being slipped off my shoulders. I shuddered; I got cold fast.

I guess shuddering made him mad or turned him on because he grabbed me, turned me and stared directly in my eyes. He held me close, and that was not comforting.

He leaned in near my ear and spoke softly to me, "I have you for an hour. If you're a good girl, I'll return you early."

That seriously freaked me out. My mind ran toward the memory of the night I was raped. Some of my fingers twitched at that thought, but my face remained blank. I was really concentrating on getting the hell out of here, but I had to be a "good girl".

My goal was to go along with most everything- most. I felt the weight of the ubi disappear and slowly the weight of the kimono. All I was left with was a thin, white robe. That didn't help at all. Essentially I was naked, and I was hoping that would be enough to satisfy that guy's needs.

He took his coat off and pulled his tie off.

I guess not.

He continued with his shoes, socks, belt and shirt. All that was left were his pants. Oh, this was getting awkward fast.

He walked up to me and proceeded to kiss my neck and move down. It was more torturous than pleasurable, but to keep up the act, I humored him with a moan of satisfaction every now and then. It seemed to worked; he responded.

Without noticing at first, my robe was slipped off and I was completely exposed. I only picked up on it when I felt his hand under my left breast.

I worried then. That was close to my heart, which happened to be quite still. I didn't do anything at first. Maybe it would go south to my hip or something.

Oh, it went south. Just more south than I had hoped.

I had to stifle a yelp here and there. I couldn't cover all of them up, just the really loud ones. And, I had help along the way. His face just happened to be in the way a few times. It also happened to hinder my ability to breathe.

It had only been thirty minutes, but stopped.

"You've been such a good girl," he trailed off as he walked over to his clothes. He started to put them on as I reached down to grab my thin robe. I draped it over myself and tied it when he walked over to me.

He kissed me one last time as he put something down my robe. With that he left.

Whatever it was, I pulled it out; it was cash.

_What the hell?_

This is something you do with strippers at a gentleman's club or with a prostitute. I was neither of those, thank you. But, I took the cash anyway. Not like I was going to run out there and give it back to him. I put it in one of the compartments in the sleeve as I tried to get the heavy garment back on. As soon as I got it and finished assembling myself back together, my door opened.

That ugly mug stuck his head in to escort me back to the room. Again, I passed by the two guys, but this time, I gave them no glance. I think I may have worried one of them, maybe both. I didn't know, but I was happy to see Botan when I got back to the room. She looked super pissed.

She lightly ranted to me. Her entertaining was humiliating. She had to do a "sexy dance" for that old ugly guy.

I would have died.

No sooner than I got in the door opened. Three guys were there looking for some last minute booty. I hated life right now. I reminded myself to not volunteer for this again. Luckily Botan and I were spared. The three guys wanted pros.

But our luck ran out fast. Some other guy came by and wanted Botan. Again, I wished her lucky, but all she could do was give me a nervous smile.

Some time had passed before that door opened. I was hoping it was Botan, but it was some fat ugly guy and Yusuke.

_By some grace let me not get stuck with the fat guy._

The ugly guy preferred pros because they knew how to treat a guy. I was not offended by this comment, but I pretended to look sad. I had to give off the 'why don't you want me?' vibe.

Another guy came in and eyed me, but before he could claim his hour, Yusuke paid and drug me out of the room.

"Oh, how elegant," I whispered.

"I saved your ass."

_About one guy too late._

I would have replied, but I wasn't supposed to say anything near the table. I just looked at Kurama and he looked a little more at ease at this point. There were only four more players at the table. Hopefully he would last until the end.

This time, I ended up in one of the middle rooms, and I didn't have to worry about figuring out a way to call for Kuwabara. Hopefully Yusuke didn't' have any major needs at the moment.

We walked in and he closed the door quietly. Immediately he threw off his coat and tie. I guess it was bugging him something awful. He unbuttoned the cuffs and rolled up the sleeves. He also let out a few buttons on the shirt. He walked over to me and got really close. For a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me.

"There are video cameras in here, so we can't just sit around and do nothing. It'll look suspicious on my part."

I had a look of moderate discontent on my face, but I signed on for the assignment, so I went with it.

Again, the whole undressing thing proceeded. He tried to pretend to kiss me as much as he could, but we could both hear the cameras adjusting, so now it had to be there for the guys somewhere in the back.

If I didn't know any better, I would say he was definitely enjoying certain moments of this hour. He wasn't opposed to kissing me or feeling me up, that was for certain. That continued while he slowly walked forward forcing me to take steps back and over the clothing on the floor. It ended up leading to me falling back into the bed. It was nice and soft, but that didn't sit well with me.

I wasn't interested in intercourse at the moment, but I knew what could happen if I started rebelling. Oh, there would be fighting words later. I would let him know.

He took his shirt off and unbuttoned his pants, letting them slide off as we both moved onto the bed more. I just looked him in the eyes. I tried to portray the message that I was just not in the mood while keeping up the whole geisha thing. Hopefully he got that memo.

Well…

That was until the boxers came off too.


	8. Silence

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya. And now I own Rahvanna.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Eight: Silence

The bed did have a canopy top that draped the entire bed from post to post. I knew there was some coverage, but I expected a camera to be somewhere on one of the posts, at least.

While I was completely discontent with my situation, I had to remember that there were many asses on the line. I wasn't sure why we were here, I just knew we were. I was thinking rare artifact or very valuable information. There was a possibility of killing a demon that ran through my mind. Those distracting thoughts were discontinued the minute I felt some pressure on my shoulder. I was being pushed back a little. Until I was flat on my back, the pressure continued. He leaned down, very close to my ear and began to speak, but I guessing to a nearby camera, it would look like he was nibbling on it.

"How many are in the room with you and Botan?"

He moved his hand to my face and adjusted it, so that he could kiss me, but leave me enough room to speak.

"Including the two of us six is all I know of."

"There should be more than that," he said.

_Maybe I would look around for another door when I was returned._

Neither one of us said anything for about half an hour. At this point, I think both of us were high on hormones and drunk on adrenaline. I think that's how my heart began to beat again. I knew it began, just not exactly when. It didn't get hot and heavy like I thought it might, which made me happy, but I figured out that the spirit detective had been holding back. He had needs, but he didn't make them apparent.

The clock in the back rang. It was a miniature grandfather clock. It was eleven o'clock.

Yusuke got up and walked over to his clothes. More repeats. I was wondering if the hour was up. Sure didn't feel like it, but that might be because I wasn't being tortured by some guy I didn't know. I got up and threw everything back on. I was getting sloppier with the precision of my clothing. I didn't care for one. If Kurama was still there, I would have to sit in that damn room again. I was getting tired, and it was apparent; I couldn't get my ubi on after dropping it several times. Yusuke helped with getting it on, and I made it presentable.

The cash I put in my sleeve dropped out and a chip rolled out of the roll of money. It was itty bitty and a dark blue with some metal parts here and there. He picked both items up and pocketed them. He leaned in closer.

"I think we got the information we needed."

I just stared at him. I knew nothing of this mission other than what I was supposed to do. I really hoped Kurama was eliminated from the table. I was tired and I wanted a shower. I felt icky.

I was lead out and both of us passed Kuwabara. Yusuke gave him one thumb up, and Kuwabara smirked. I'm guessing the 'get the hell out of here' code is two thumbs. We both passed the table and he left the room while I was escorted back into that damned room. I looked at Kurama and the two other guys there. Things looked like the got tough. I saw Botan leave the room. She looked sat and it was directed at me. Unfortunately I was left alone in there, but there were only two other geishas with me. They were still mean looking and old, but there were less than before. I felt slightly better. I took my seat and looked around the room to see if there was another door. I spotted two in the left corner. They were poorly hidden. A few cardboard boxes and some reams of paper were not the best way to disguise something. Now, I just needed a way to tell Yusuke or Kurama.

The sound of the door opening interrupted my train of thought. It was not Kurama; it was the guy sitting to his left who appeared. He took his geisha and left. I knew that because the ugly mug wasn't there as an escort. Now it was only the other lady and I in here. I wondered if she would be able to tell me anything. Before I could jump onto the line of questions she spoke.

"Hey, kid, what'cha doing in a dump like this?"

Woah, she was not from Japan. That accent sounded like she was from New York… Greek New Yorker. But, where were the expletives?

"I'm rented for the night. My businessman is playing a few rounds." Hell, I had no clue what to say other than to cover my ass and Kurama's.

"Damn shame." She stated. She pulled out a cigarette and a lighter. I guess she'd been itching for one for a little because half of it was gone in on inhalation.

"Could you answer something for me?" I asked her.

"Yeah, what'chu wanna know?"

"Those two doors in the back left corner. What are they used for?"

"The winner of the table takes his lady back there. That's where the real business begins. The boss of the restaurant and backroom gambling sits back there," she said not too loudly.

Before I could ask her another question, the door opened. Both Kurama and the last guy walked in with the ugly mug. I didn't know who had won, but Kurama walked over to me and pulled me up. I watched the ugly guy walk over to the geisha and talk to her. Her businessman motioned for her to come with him. I guess he lost. He didn't seem content. On the way out, he slapped her across the face. He never once saw her leave the room. I guess he was reprimanding her for not being more attractive.

"Mr. Souo, if you and your lady will follow me to the rooms on the left." He led us to the rooms I noticed earlier and the ones that were explained to me. I almost half wished he lost. I was getting sleepy, but I had to remain attentive or I would have to get slapped around a few times. Curse these old establishments and their womanizing ways. I wasn't in the mood for it now. I tolerated it better a few hours ago.

We stepped through the doors. It was absolutely pitch black, but we kept walking and ugly face closed the door behind us. We walked until we hit light, which revealed a table and once guy. He was the brains behind everything and it was gross how ugly he was and how many women were fawning over him as if he was some great celebrity. He had to be rich.

"So, you won the table?"

"Yes, I did. You're the man who arranged the game?"

"I am. I'm Daimane Koujo." He greeted Kurama with a firm handshake. Kurama introduced himself as Souo Manabe. I thought that was an odd name.

Koujo glanced over at me and smirked. "Where'd you pick this broad up?" His fan girls in the back giggled. I was assuming he was picking on me because I was young and he assumed I knew nothing about how to treat a man.

"Street corner. Where else would you find someone at the last minute?"

"She looks too cute to work the corner."

Okay, this completely sucked. I just had to stand here and take some of this bullshit. He would be another that would hear it later one. He would know if he didn't already.

I looked behind Koujo to see a clock. It was half past midnight. I needed some sleep, but I couldn't afford to screw anything up at the moment. I had to stay focused, which encompassed shutting up and looking innocent.

"She treat you right? If not, someone back here'll show her the ropes." He pointed to one of his girls. Gosh they looked like cheap, drunk whores.

"She treats me fine, thanks."

"Then let's get down to business." He showed Kurama a seat at the other end of the table. I saw supposed to fawn over him and stuff, but he firmly asked that I stay out of his way of communicating, which in my mind translated as sit down and rest. Koujo persisted that I needed to comfort him, but Kurama insisted more than he was fine at the moment. He even hinted at a maybe later, but I think that was to get him to shut up and get some information out of him.

They talked for a good hour or two. I was dozing in and out of sleep. I heard a few snaps come from Kurama. I assumed it was my cue as stood up to see what he wanted. He pulled me closer to him as he began to speak.

"I need to you see if Yusuke, Botan, and Kuwabara are still here. While you're out there, grab a drink of some sort as a cover up."

I nodded and turned, but before I could leave, he held onto my wrist like he was going to check those stab wounds. I knew that wasn't the case, but I turned to see what the hold up was. I noticed that Koujo didn't look happy. I guess my lack of fawning over him was pissing him off, so I kissed Kurama before I left to get him a drink. Before I exited the room I heard that demon say something about not treating him right and being ungrateful.

I really hoped Kurama killed the bastard, but I didn't think he would, so I didn't hold my breath. I passed through the waiting room and went into the gambling room. I didn't notice the ugly mug, so I decided to see if Kuwabara was still back in the hallway. I knocked, and he opened it.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked. He too seemed tired.

"Kurama asked me to see if you, Yusuke and Botan were still here."

"Yeah, they're in the first back room. I think they're having a few drinks."

"Thanks. I have to go grab one." Before I left Kuwabara tugged on my sleeve. "Yeah?"

"How's it going in there?"

"I don't really know. I've not been paying much attention, but I need to get that drink."

I left him and walked into the room and headed straight for the bar. I just asked for a beer. I had no clue if he would drink it, but it was fast, easy, and no questions asked. I passed Yusuke and Botan. They looked at me wanting to know what was going down. All I did was give them one thumb up, plus a little of the next. They were a little relieved.

"We're staying here until you two leave," Botan whispered loudly, just enough for me to hear as I walked back to the room.

When I walked in Koujo and Kurama were wrapping up the loose ends of business. Koujo didn't seem happy. Either I took too long or Kurama was really pulling a lot of strings to get what he wanted. I think it was the former because I got slapped a few times. It wasn't hard, but I think it was convincing enough for that bastard to stop staring at me.

"See, I told you- ungrateful broad. She takes her sweet time and doesn't tend to her man properly." He had his few jumping all over him.

I just looked down as Kurama took the beer. He didn't say anything much after that. He just took his seat and finished what he came for. It didn't take but five minutes to settle the terms. They shook on it. Just when I though we could leave things got turned upside down. Koujo grabbed me and drug me into another room. Freakin' how many back rooms are there in this damn place?

This guy must like poorly lit rooms. There were only three dims lights.

_What were the terms for Kurama getting that information?_

I was about to find out. I heard that gross excuse of a man laugh behind me, and I turned around to see what was so funny. Slap number one was delivered.

"You need to learn you place, girly!"

Okay, so I was getting schooled in geisha manners by a pimp. Oh, yeah, I can see the progress we're going to have.

"I have fifteen minutes to get you into shape or I own you."

Kurama, what the hell have you done? I'm supposed to learn all of whatever he tells me in a mere fifteen minutes. Yeah, this is going to go over well. Those fifteen minutes went by fast and most of it was spent getting my ass handed to me on a silver platter. I don't think I learned a thing, but I guess I'll have to work it when I get out there. First, I had to figure out what to work.

He pulled me out of that room and I was messed up. My hair looked like shit, and I think my kimono was about to fall off my frame- that's how much it had been pulled apart so some cleavage could be shown. First class whore at your service, damn it.

It was after three in the morning and I just wanted a couple of hours of sleep and a shower. That wasn't much to ask for. Whatever I had to work had to be done well and right now, so I was guessing the point of that beating session was to make myself more whorish and fawn over Kurama. One crazy school girl coming up. I just acted like one of the girls at school with a little twist of whore, and it pleased the goon in the back. Before he let us go, he gave Kurama a small plastic casing with three chips in it.

He let us go while he was laughing. We passed through that room and the wait room leisurely, but the minute we entered the empty gambling room, I was obviously pissed.

"What the hell?" I said silently but with a full force of anger. I didn't let my blank expression change. I just made it seemed like I complimented him.

He didn't say anything. He knew we were still being watched. He walked to the door where Kuwabara was behind. He knocked and Kuwabara came out.

"Yes?" Kuwabara asked as he did all night.

"We're done here. You need to be the last one out. Leave here in ten minutes. We'll meet at my house. Make sure no one follows you."

With that, we left and walked past Yusuke and Botan. I didn't see or hear any talking, so I assumed they did it telepathically. That was the only explanation I could come up with. We walked out without a problem and headed toward his house. As far as I could tell no one followed him, but I didn't say anything until we both stepped foot in his house and his door was closed.

Before I could let him know anything he apologized. It was kind of hard to be full out pissy when he first says that. I let him know that I wasn't exactly cheerful with the look of annoyance plastered on my face.

"You do realize that one of the chips in that case is gone right?"

Kurama pulled it out and noticed it was gone and that the others in there were adapters. Now he was the unhappy one.

"Want to know where it is?"

He looked at me oddly. "Hatsune."

"I had it earlier."

"Earlier?"

There was a knock on the door. Kurama opened it to see Yusuke and Botan.

"Lookin' for this?" Yusuke asked as he held out a chip.

"Yes, actually." Kurama looked at me. "Hold did you get that at first?"

"That's not important," I stated.

Botan cringed at the thought. "You had to do one of those humiliating dances too?"

Not quite, but I told her yes anyway. She didn't have to know.

"What dance?" Hiei graced our presence.

"Nothing pertinent to the acquired information," I said quickly.

No one picked at it anymore. We waited in the living room for Kuwabara to show up. Kurama placed the chip in the adapter, which was plugged into the computer. He began to upload all of the information when the door knocked three times.

"That's Kuwabara," Yusuke said.

"How can you be so sure?" Botan asked him.

"I told him to knock three times." Yusuke got up and sure enough, it was Kuwabara at the door. They both walked in while Botan switched to a seat next to me.

"Hey, you two didn't have a rough time or anything, did you?" he asked sincerely. I guess he was genuinely worried about us.

We just smiled and told him no. It was best just to drop what happened tonight.

I kept pulling at my kimono, but it kept sliding down. It was seriously pissing me off. Botan even tried helping me keep it tight, but it only lasted a few minutes. I took the ubi off to see if it would help fix the problem. It did just enough. I wasn't about to flash everyone there, so I stopped fidgeting with it.

When all of the information was decoded and legible, everyone gathered around. I wasn't sure what it pertained to, but I guess it was super important because Kurama saved a copy on his computer and asked Botan to give the chips to Koenma for safe keeping. She left with those in hand to go to Spirit World.

With it being four o'clock everyone left Kurama's to go home, or in Hiei's case he left to find a tree a few hundred yards away. I guess that was just in case someone tried to come over uninvited.

I sighed and took out all of the pins in my hair. Some were in pretty deep, and some broke in the process. I knew I had thick hair but this was ridiculous. Kurama helped with removing some of them.

I got off the couch and headed toward the stairs. I was still peeved about the events of the night, well morning now. I sought a shower and figured I would get ready for school earlier. Maybe I would be lucky enough to catch thirty minutes of sleep before I would have to leave for school.

Before I even reached the base of the stairs, Kurama, once again, grabbed one of my wrists. This was going to be habit, I was assuming. I turned and tried not to look completely exasperated.

"Yes?"

"I know it wasn't easy, but thank you."

That didn't make things any better, but I took it anyway. I attempted to move, but I was still being held onto.

"Kurama, if there's something you want to say," I was cut off because of his one finger to my mouth. It reminded me of the silent sign kids use in elementary along with the peace sign.

"I'm sorry that you were thrown around tonight. I'm also sorry that some wounds were reopened."

I knew what he was talking about. I just wished he hadn't gone there. He continued on with his list of apologies, but I stopped listening after a certain point. Just bringing up the reopening of wounds made me go back a couple of years.

I was crying, and I didn't even know it. Tears rolled down my face, and I just stood there somewhat lifeless. The feeling of tonight took me back to the night of my rape. Just the feeling of not being able to say anything or defend myself really hurt. Not only was I pissed, but now I had a slew of emotions that I couldn't keep in check.

"Just stop."

His list I guess had just ended. He looked a little gloomy, and he also looked down. I didn't bother to look at him. I just needed some time to recollect myself and look like I had a good night's sleep before walking to school.

He wiped away some of the new tears that just fell. While he lifted my chin up, he leaned in closer to me. I didn't want what he was about to give me; I had enough of that for the day- hell for the week or even the month. There was a good possibility that I was just being severely overemotional, but I rejected his kiss and hug. I probably rejected his entire apology, but I just wanted to have some venting space. I didn't know when I would get it, but space would be a good start. I would figure venting out later.

I pushed him back, not to hard though, just enough for him to get the picture. He let me go and just let me be. That was nice of him even though I'm sure I hurt his feelings.

I went into the bathroom and flung the kimono and robe off. I never wanted to see those articles of clothing again. They were completely polluted in my eyes. My shower was quick yet thorough. I noticed that my wounds were almost completely healed. One or two were there, but the other ten or so needed another day or two. I was happy that those were going away, but I had a small bruise on my face. I guess those slaps were harder than I thought.

I turned the warm water off and just stood under a little bit of cool water for about a minute. I didn't think much; I just stood there. Maybe it would help cool my mind.

Anyway, I walked out of the shower only to be surprised. I thought I had locked the door, but apparently I was wrong. My heart raced a little bit, but it resumed a normal pace just as fast as it took off. I looked down for a little bit. There was no point, but I still had the issue of collecting myself. I had no clue why Kurama was standing there, but apparently it was important since he couldn't wait until I had gotten dresses or at least thrown a robe on.

"I know privacy didn't exist about an hour or so ago, but I thought that was reinstated when we left the restaurant," I said.

"To an extent."

_Heh?_

"Am I missing something?" I asked him. I looked him right in the eyes as he took a few steps forward.

_I hope he doesn't have needs. Not the time. Not in the mood._

He was only wearing the dress pants from the suit ensemble. He had a nice body, but I had to focus. He was a really good distraction. It was hard to remain mentally serious. I wasn't sure if my being naked bothered me or his being shirtless. I think it was a combination of both.

He closed the gap between the two of us and just hugged me. I was royally confused at this point. I guess he really wanted that hug. It felt odd hugging him. For one, I was naked: that didn't help. Two, he usually seemed a bit distant. I felt his hand under my chin and I looked up at him.

"I'm sorry," he said again. His eyes held this sincere feel to them. He truly meant it. That or he was a hella good actor, but I think the former is the better option.

I wasn't sure what to say to him. I leaned toward telling him to not worry about it, but that seemed like it would incite a riot, so to speak. I thought about using the 'it wasn't your fault' card, but again, riot. My mind drifted to the 'forget about it' line, but I knew the result of that one. I was at a loss for words, but I was still staring at his eyes. I think he knew I was trying to come up with something, though; he had this small smile. I guess me trying to use my brain without sleep for a while was entertaining to him.

"Can I at least throw a robe on? This is weird." I noticed that the robe I had hung the last time I showered was still there. He reached for it and gave it to me. I took a step back, just enough to put it on and tie it. I didn't bother to return that step. He took a step forward once again closing the gap. I now assume he wanted that kiss. My tiredness and disapproval shined through. (The tiredness prevailed however.)

"Honestly, can it wait until tomorrow?" I asked him. I wanted twenty minutes of sleep so badly.

He didn't say anything. I wasn't sure what to make of that so I raised an eyebrow. He didn't obviously respond.

"Just tell me one thing," he stated softly.

"Shoot."

"Did you and Yusuke do anything?"

Oh my gosh, is that what was bugging him? Did he think I had the hots for Yusuke? Actually, I had to ask myself that question first before I made a fool of myself. I didn't think so, but I could not deny some of the qualities he held that I found attractive.

"If you mean sex, no."

It took him a while to reply. I guess in a way I avoided a part of his question. I contemplated telling him the rest, but I don't know if that would have answered his entire question. I considered a few other things until I heard the clock from downstairs ring twice. I figured it was half past four now, at least half past anyway. I had to get dressed and he had to shower, so I opted to kiss him now, just so everything would move forward.

I figured it would be a short peck on the lips, but he held me there for a moment. He rested his hands on my hips while I unhurriedly slid my hands up from his chest to loosely wrapping them around his neck.

This was accidental. I hadn't meant for it to be like this, but I liked it, so I didn't stop. And, it was safe to assume that he liked it too considering he presented it and didn't pull away. It wasn't long after the kiss broke.

We didn't say anything. I just unwrapped my arms and left the bathroom. I went to my bag in his room and grabbed my spare uniform and the other set of socks I had. I threw those one and fixed my hair. I tied it back and looked in the mirror. I was obviously and undeniably tired. I searched my bag for foundation or a brightening stick of some sort. I found some concealer. I dabbed a little under my eyes. It wasn't obvious and I looked a lot better. I put that in my case and grabbed my shoes

I walked downstairs as he walked out of the bathroom. I set my stuff on the table and looked in a few cabinets. I saw stuff for tea, and I made some. I put some bread in the toaster, too. It had been a while since I'd eaten something. I was getting a little hungry. When the toast came up, I put it on a plate and set it on the table. I took the water off the hot burner and placed it on a cold one. I got two glasses out and poured water in them and stuck a tea bag in each. Those also made their way to the table.

By then Kurama entered the kitchen dressed in full uniform. He looked at the tea and toast as I turned to notice him. I just sat down. The awkwardness still lingered a bit. I drank some tea and took a piece of toast and ripped on of the corners. I chewed it as I was trying to figure out what he was doing.

He didn't look at me at all. He just drank his tea and ate a piece of toast. I knew it was something past five, but I didn't want to keep checking the clock. I heard my cell phone ring. It had been a while since I heard it. I just looked at it and saw Kuraiya's name appear on the screen. I debated about picking it up, but that boy had a nasty habit of calling back every ten seconds, so I flipped my phone open.

"Good morning, sleep head. How are ya?" he asked me.

"Peachy," was all that I came up with.

"You don't sound peachy. Did something happen last night?"

Now, knowing Kuraiya for some odd number of years lead to know the real meaning of that inquiry.

"Nothing happen, freakin' pervert."

I could hear him snickering lightly. "I'm just teasing you."

I heard Riho reprimanding him greatly for that. I could also hear her saying hello and such to me. I would respond to those at lunch.

"Anyway, can you help me with trig? Pretty, pretty pleeeease?" He whined a little at the end of his sentence.

"Yeah, sure." I just wanted out of the uncomfortable situation.

"So I'll see you at school in twenty or so?"

"I'll be there."

I grabbed my things and walked to the door. I slipped the loafer-like shoes on and left. No questions were asked. My walk to school was a little fast paced. I didn't run, but I just wanted a new day to start. Hopefully it would get better, not worse.

I got to the front of the school in twenty-five minutes. Kuraiya was waiting at the front doors.

"Hey," he said, but stopped short. "You look tired. How long did you sleep?"

"Not long enough," I replied. In truth, there was no sleep, but had I told him that he would have gone into frenzy. We strolled to class and he sat across from me so I could help him. We got through it pretty quickly since he actually paid attention to what I was saying. We happened to finish just in time too. Students were going to class a little early today. He took his normal seat and I just sat. I laid my head down on the desk for a few minutes. I wish it could've lasted longer, but I would get over it.

I sat up and pulled out the horrible physics book. This book would be my downfall today. It went slow. Everything went slow.  
However lunch went by fast enough. Riho and Kuraiya questioned me the entire time about what I was doing at Shuichi's. They also made sure I was studying and eating and bathing and whatever else they could think of. Both of them complained that it looked like I had lost more weight. I was getting seriously reprimanded.

Too bad PE couldn't go by that fast. The three mile run went by slow. I finished in about sixteen minutes, but it felt like the entire class period. That really didn't help. I didn't break a sweat or anything. I was amused at that. I saw people breathing heavily and sweat rolling off their noses onto the ground, but I was completely fine. The mile hadn't fazed me. That pissed off the 'in-crowd'. They were griping about sweating and getting their hair messed up. I headed toward the locker room to change and I left. I just needed some time to think. I made my way to the roof of the school. I took a place in the corner and just chilled. I knew I was missing two more subjects, and I knew it would be obvious, but at the moment, I didn't care. I had to organize my mind. Besides, even if I went, it's not like I would be able to concentrate. My mind was let loose to wander and I desperately needed to file everything away.

While thinking, the door to the roof opened. I saw Rahvanna, but said nothing to her. She sat in the corner adjacent to mine. I saw her pull out a pack of cigarettes. She lit one and also relaxed.

_What's with all of the smoking here of late?_

I didn't bother asking her anything. She and I didn't have the same civics and foreign language, but I did wonder why she was up here. Also, I tried to figure out what about her bothered me. Something was off. And, I couldn't place it yet. I had no intention of asking her anything.

I enjoyed my time on the roof. It was quiet and Kurama free. I think I needed that. It's not like I didn't like him or anything. I just had to get away from the unsettling feeling of distress. I had no clue what was going on early this morning, but that shook the stability of my day. I had to answer a few questions myself. I hadn't been here long, but I was already tangled up in this spirit world, demon world, and human world business. Those questions would be answered with more ease than the ones that required deeper thought and more self-searching.

Did I like either Kurama or Yusuke? Why does Mukuro and Raizen want be in demon world? Why was Katsuya permanently taken from me?

I felt another headache coming on.

Apparently the bell had rung. I saw student flocking out of the school in masses. I sighed. Rahvanna left without a word or glance. She was an odd character. I was curious about her now. She would be a question that would be dealt with later. I went back to my original thought process. I wondered about those three questions.

The door opened again, but I didn't bother looking to see who it was.

"There you are," the familiar voice said, but it didn't hold a completely friendly tone. There was some annoyance and worry with it.

I didn't have to look up to figure out that it was Kurama.


	9. An Open Heart

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya. And now I own Rahvanna.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Nine: An Open Heart

He sat next to me and didn't say anything for a few moments. I guess that was time for me to just throw everything back into my mind and look at him. I didn't know what to say; I was a little perplexed. I mean, I figured he was angry that I had skipped class and not told him where I was, but I just wanted some space, and if I had to get it by these means, then so be it. I guess that was being a little selfish. I think I was still pissed about the earlier events. I tried to make them pass, but there were unattended topics that needed to be addressed.

"Kurama, seriously, is there something you want to address? It's kind of getting annoying," I said. I was still looking at him. Whatever it was, I wanted to know.

He stared at the sky for a few moments before he looked at me. He was collected but it was obvious that he was angry. I think I might've pissed him off.

_Uh oh, I'm in the line of fire._

"What is bothering you here of late?"

That was unexpected. I felt like I had been thrown off the roof.

"Pardon?"

He didn't say it again. He knew the purpose of my one word.

"What happened last night is not the only source of you wandering mind."

"Seems like you know more than what you're letting on…"

I stood up and began walking to the door. He didn't follow me or try to hold me back. I was a little stunned, but I think that might have been the ploy to get me to spill. I didn't bother looking back or saying anything else. I just left school and headed to the drug store. I had to work a few hours today.

The store was unpredictably busy. I swore everyone and their mother was in there buying Advil or Tylenol. I wasn't aware that headache season was in. I thought it was flu season. That would require cough medicine, but I didn't say much. I just rang the stuff up and let them be. Maybe they would figure it out later.

Seven rolled around quicker than I thought. I locked the outside of the door so no one else could come in, and I checked out the last remaining customers. I rushed to get them out of there so I could get out. It didn't take me long to clean the store up, turn everything off and lock up. I turned to begin down the sidewalk, but I was greeted suddenly by Kurama.

"In all honesty, are you going to do this every night?"

"Yes," he said.

"A little warning might be nice. Just a thought," I said as I tried to calm my racing heart. I didn't want it to stop at the moment. I didn't know why, but the beating was nice for the time being.

"Do you have any homework left to finish?"

"I do actually. Why do you ask?"

"We need to take a trip to spirit world," Kurama said.

I whined a little. That meant no sleep for me and I still had homework to finish.

"But, Kurama…" It was apparent that I was not happy about going, but I never mentioned that I wouldn't go. "Why?"

"Koenma has to talk to you about two others."

Talk to me about two people I may not even know doesn't sound like fun. I was at a loss for words, but I just followed him. We met Botan some way down the street. She had files in her hand.

"Sorry, lady and gent, but Koenma is tangled up at the moment. Here's all the stuff you need though. I'll be back later." She handed the files to Kurama and a sealed manila envelope. She took off on her oar back to spirit world.

I just stared at the stuff in wonder. I was super curious, but Kurama wouldn't let me have the files until we got back to his house. I pouted for a little while, but I got over it. Eventually he would give it to me. I had to look over the stuff before Botan came back anyway, so I didn't worry about it greatly.

We were in his house now and I didn't know if I needed to jump on those files or get at my homework. I just walked into the living room and sat on the couch. I pulled out my math book and finished the few problems I didn't get around to while she was teaching. That was easy, but I didn't want to touch physics. Something that vial just needed to be burnt. I stared deeply at the book. I despised it so. I wanted out of physics. Maybe I could get into chemistry with Riho. Kuraiya might kill me, but I wouldn't be so miserable and lost.

"Do you need some help?" Kurama took a seat next to me and flipped my book open. It was the only one that was unorganized and littered with random notes. It made no sense, but I had to do something that made it seem like I was paying attention. "You know, that's why you do not know much about physics."

I knew that much. Thaaaanks. I just gave him a blank look. "I know that I know nothing which is why I have no clue how to do any of this."

He went over everything from the start. That really helped me out. I was slowly beginning to understand everything. My homework was finished in a matter of minutes. I never got through anything that fast.

"Woah," I said. My mind had just shoved about a week worth of physics into it on top of all the other stuff it frantically held. "Uh, thanks." That was all that came out. I was still in a little bit of shock that I had just comprehended all of this.

He placed his hand on top of my head and messed up my hair a little bit. I felt like a little kid who just figured out what 2+2 was. I just looked up at him. I held this little girl innocence in my eyes, I mean, I felt like one, so it was hard not to show it.

"Well, don't you look cute?"

I just blinked at him. I didn't know what to say. I just said thanks. I didn't feel like repeating it since I couldn't come up with something else.

At random, he began poking my sides. More fingers came into play. He hit a few sensitive points and I couldn't help but laugh. He smirked a little bit.

"Are you ticklish?" he asked me.

"Noooooooooo…" I denied my ticklish spots, but my giggling didn't back me up.

"Do I detect a lie?" He leaned forward and a tickle war was instigated, but I couldn't find out where he was ticklish, if he was at all. I was concentrating on getting free, but that didn't work out so well.

"Hey," I managed to get out between my spurts of giggling. "I think there's something else we need to tend to first." I was still laughing when he stopped; however, I didn't notice that he was still on top me of. I opened my eyes to meet his and my giggling pretty much stopped. I was still all smiles though.

The back door opened and Hiei flitted in. He just stopped and looked oddly at both of us. There was no response from him at first. I explained that we were in the middle of a tickle war and all he did was 'hn'.

"Keep your human fun down," he said as he left and closed the door.

I laughed a little bit more, but decided that I needed to look at those files.

"Hey, let go of me please," I said to Kurama.

He complied and I remained on the floor while I reached for the files. I figured there would be some shock, so I remained there. It would benefit me in a minute. I opened the first file and was blown away. I closed it, looked up, and reopened it. It was who it was the first time- Rahvanna Hollowgrave.

"That baby is kidding, right?" I asked Kurama as I held the file up to him. He too looked slightly surprised. I had no clue that Rahvanna had a file in spirit world. I returned the file to my line of sight and kept reading it. I finally knew why she felt off to me: she's a demon. Well, that settled my nerves, somewhat. I set her file aside and went to the next one. This one blew my mind; Kuraiya was a half demon. How could I not pick up something odd about him? I'd known him for a while. I read the rest of his file. There was something about a Yomi in there.

"Kurama, who's Yomi?"

He didn't look too happy about that question. I hope I didn't hit a nerve or anything. I seriously think I pissed him off.

"Sorry, I didn't know I wasn't supposed to ask that."

"No, it is not you," he said. "Listen carefully. This will explain a lot of things." He began explaining demon world to me. He covered the three ruled regions and the rulers. He also explained some of the logic of the world, too. I comprehended a lot of it. It seemed like chaotic political divisions. That reminded me of the history of American government. I nodded my head, but that didn't answer my question pertaining to Yomi entirely.

"You don't like him, I take it."

"It's not that I don't like him. It is a long story. Maybe I'll tell you some other time."

I just let it rest there. Eventually, I would know.

"If Kuriaya is a half demon, why couldn't I pick that up, but I could pick up something about Rahvanna?"

"She's far stronger than he and the boy may not even know about it."

"Should I ask him?"

"You may want to go through that manila folder first."

I had my cell phone out, but I set it down when he mentioned the folder. I forgot about it when I was shocked how many times. I opened it and pulled out the few contents it held. I saw 'mission from Koenma' as the header of the first paper. It said there was a tournament that would be the deciding factor for preliminaries to the demon world situation.

"I thought in war there were minimal factions in war. Why is there going to be a tournament to determine who gets to move on to demon world?"

Kurama looked a little puzzled. He took the papers from me and laughed.

"Sorry, but you are getting some of the words confused. Either you cannot read well or you do not have enough spirit energy to read it."

"Let's go with the latter. I don't want to be stupid; can't fix that."

He smiled and read the papers out loud. I was sort of close. Well, not really. I managed to only get some of the words he mentioned. Basically, things in spirit world are getting out of hand because demon world is in a little more turmoil than usual. So, in order to resolve the issue in spirit world, there is going to be a tournament. A few months later a tournament will be held in demon world and that will decide the fate of that world unless otherwise stated by approved means. There's more to it, but that's how I got it all to work for the moment.

Again, the backdoor opened and Hiei walked in.

"We're not being dragged into this, are we?"

"I think so. Koenma is planning to assemble a large team or two small ones. It does not clearly state it in here. Apparently not everything has been worked out."

I got stared at by both of them.

"Woah, I'm not being dragged into this, right?"

"I do not know," Kurama said.

"Better hope not. You're weak," Hiei said flatly.

"That can change, shorty." I was a little tweaked that be pointed out something a little obvious, but at the same time, it's not like I had been training or anything. Zero training pretty much says weak.

He glared at me. I was expecting something more aggressive, but I can't deny that his stare was cruel and slightly cold. He said his classic 'hn' and took a seat on the floor a little ways from me. As if on cue, Botan strolled in and Koenma followed.

"Yo," he stated. They walked in and closed the door before taking a seat. He made sure all the papers were there and collected everything expect the mission papers. "I take it you looked at these."

"Yeah," I replied.

"And…"

I was left slightly confused. What more did he want to know. He just asked a basic question.

"Do you know either one of them?"

"Both actually."

Koenma nodded and thought about something before he spoke his thoughts out loud. "Well, I think I have an answer."

Everyone just chilled while trying to figure out exactly what he was talking about. His statement came out of the blue.

"It'll begin as a team of six and when it gets to preliminaries, it'll split into two groups of three. That sounds good to me. Everyone agree? Of course you do."

Dear gosh, he left us no time to response. He needed to be knocked off his high horse.

"Come on, Botan. We have other business to tend to." He stood up, but had something else to say since he didn't take off right away. "Oh, and you should start training. We already talked to Genkai, and she's ready to beat you to a pulp. Be there Friday night. Later." With that last remark, he and Botan left.

"Oh joy. Just what I wanted for freakin' Christmas- to get my ass handed to me twelve consecutive days." I thought about something for a minute. "When does this thing start?"

Kurama looked at a few pieces of paper and found the answer. "Second week of December."

Peachy. That's when winter break begins, and it's also right after midterms. That couldn't be better timing. I saw Hiei get up, but I paid him no great attention. I saw him reach for something and I felt my heart stop. I figured it was something that was gonna kick my ass, so I tried to figure out how to get that shield thing going again. I think I got lucky. His sword nearly met my left finger; I got it up at the last second.

"You got lucky," he said as he sheathed his sword.

"I wouldn't doubt that statement," I replied. Hell, I wasn't going to get cocky and deny it. He left after that.

I stretched out a little and yawned. My lack of sleep was running to catch up to me, and it was about here. I rubbed my eyes a little and leaned back. Right here was a great place to sleep. It was comfy and a nice temperature. I felt the couch shift pressure a little. Kurama got up and left the room. I didn't really pay much attention, but I did notice he came back in with the phone. I didn't even hear it ring. Oh well. Sleep was about to break the floodgates and pour into my mind. Right as I was about to drift off into slumber, he shook me firmly, just enough to keep me up.

"Kurama, I can't survive another night without sleep."

He hung the phone up before replying. "You will get some sleep, just not at the moment. Come with me. You should meet my mother. She is getting discharged tonight."

I sluggishly got up and grabbed my phone, just in case. I followed him to the hospital and up the stairs. I think he did that to torture me, but I knew it was to keep me awake. When we got to the room, I waited until he asked me to come in. He wanted to make sure his mother was fine. He was probably doting on her a little too.

The door wasn't all the way closed; I could hear bits and parts of the conversation going on. "Mother, I brought a friend I would like you to meet."

"Shuichi, that's so kind of you."

I guess that was my cue to walk in, so I did, but it was slow, like I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be there. I smiled as I saw her smile at me. She looked well, just maybe a little tired or sore.

"So, you're Shuichi's friend?"

I nodded. "My name is Katsuragi Hatsune." I wasn't too sure what to say to her at the moment. I would just wait until she asked or said something.

He explained a few things to her and asked if I could live there. He pulled a few strings and reversed my exchange student status. Now, I was from America, not Sunagawa. I guess it would work out better that was. She was happy that I was staying. She greeted me warmly and hugged my lightly. I just followed what seemed right for the time. She even congratulated me on how well my Japanese was. I just smiled. Seriously, she didn't have to know about everything. No child told their parent the truth one-hundred percent of the time.

We were on our way home. Everything was in order and when we hit the bottom floor, she got to walk. Kurama helped her all the way home even though she persisted that she could walk herself. That was Shuichi- caring for his mother all the time. I just smiled. I'm not sure why, but I thought it was kind of cute.

The screen on my phone flashed a few times. I didn't notice it until it stopped. I figured it would be better if I looked at it now. No surprise- Kuraiya. I excused my call and pushed call back. Riho answered the phone, and I decided to speak all English for this one. Just to help keep up the American façade.

"Riho? Where's Kuraiya?"

"That's why I called you. I wanted to know that."

"What do you mean? You have his phone."

"He never came home from school. I thought you might have been tutoring him or something like that."

"Riho, did anyone unusual come by your place?"

"Uh, not that I know of, why?"

_Crap, I forgot. She doesn't know about any of that, and she may not be able to see those two from spirit world anyway._

"Nothing really. Just making sure no one took him. Riho, I'll call you back in fifteen minutes, okay?" We parted for the moment, but I kept my phone near me.

I waited for Kurama to tuck his mother in for the night. It was about ten. I wanted sleep, but now I had to find out where the hell Kuraiya went. Kurama walked out of his mother's room and led me out the backdoor into the yard. While closing the door he asked me what the conversation was about.

"Kuraiya is missing."

He didn't look too happy about that. "Since when?"

"Right after school, I guess. Riho said he never came home. She thought I was tutoring him in trigonometry."

Kurama appeared to be very uneasy. He looked down for a little then up at the moon. I could tell that he was thinking, but what about exactly, I wasn't sure. "Follow me."

I wasn't sure where we were going, but I complied. We went through the park and the woods. There was a plain area that was cleared out completely.

"Kurama, what's this place?" I asked him.

He didn't say anything; he just grabbed my wrist and I felt something change. I blinked and saw the forest shift a little. I closed my eyes and opened them- I no longer saw the forest. This place was vaguely familiar. It was spirit world. I wondered why we were here to see Koenma. We walked into the office and saw ogres running around with a lot of papers. They were completely frantic. It was a sight I never thought I would see in my entire life. Kurama had to drag me for a few feet before I realized I needed to walk. We walked up to Koenma's desk and he was buried in papers. He was furious.

"Koenma," Kurama began.

He looked up and was about to yell until he noticed it was Kurama. "Yo," he said, stating his trademark greeting. "What brings you here?"

"Kurosawa Kuraiya is missing," Kurama said bluntly.

Koenma froze. He looked up in shock and was about ready to cry. If not, it sure looked like a plausible candidate. "What did you say?"

"Kuraiya – is – gone," I said slowly. Maybe his baby brain couldn't comprehend those words.

Before Koenma had a chance to snap at me, George, the blue ogre, came running in with important papers. "Koenma, sir, we have an urgent case!" He handed the papers to him and ran off to tend to the other files and papers being scattered and thrown around the office.

Furious, Koenma looked at the papers and nearly fell out of his chair. He was in shock. "I have a case for you two to tend to." He gave the papers to Kurama and shooed us away.

It pertained to Kuraiya. That baby bastard had tabs on us. It had leads to where he was and so forth. He shared the information with me. It was not surprising that it was somewhere I did not want to be.

"Honestly, why do things end up in whore houses?" I asked flatly. I didn't think Kurama would want to be the whore, so I was going to have to be miserable again.

"Come on; let's just get this over with." We left spirit world immediately and headed for the bar.

He led me into the alley way where the back door was. I had to 'fix' my clothes a little bit. We entered through the back door and made out way in unsuspected. It was a little odd. There were many flashy lights and a lot of bar stools. So many drunks were running around, on the floor, or passed out at the bar. I looked around to see if anything didn't seem natural for the environment, but I was coming up blank for the moment.

I saw a guy bring in a few speakers, a microphone, a set of CDs, and a clipboard. There was a screen already set up and I was staring at it. My first thought was karaoke, but it would be interesting with a bunch of drunks. I mean, it could get pretty bad when people are sober, so I was a little concerned about drunken people singing karaoke.

"Kurama," I whispered as I tugged on his coat sleeve, "what are they doing over there?"

He turned around glanced at the set up. He looked at me. "Can you sing? I may need a distraction. I think I found a place in here where he may be."

"I don't know if it's what it used to be, but I'll give it a shot," I replied.

"Anyone who wants to compete in the karaoke competition, please make your way over and sign up," said an averaged height man. He looked normal and didn't give a funny feeling, but I didn't trust that for the moment. I wasn't completely sure about my ability. I noticed people sign up, so I made my way there. I ended up being number thirty. Hopefully, this didn't take too long. I was near the end on the sign up list anyway.

We drew songs and found the person we were matched up with. It was a sing off, I guess. That would prove interesting. My first song was American. I wondered if they were all from American artists. I waited my turn with my opponent next to me. She was taller than me, but she was obviously drunk, so I thought I would get an easy pass.

I gave the guy the CD when it was my turn and my opponents turn. I was not very familiar with Taylor Swift, so I was about to wing it. I looked around to see if I could find Kurama. He was going in and out of the room. I think he was looking for Kuraiya and looking out for me.

"We were both young when I first saw you, I closed my eyes and the flashback starts, I'm standing there…" I sang as I watched both my opponent and Kurama. "… Little did I know that you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles and my daddy said 'Stay away from Juliet'…"

I had finished my part for the moment and my competition had begun to sing. Well, let's just say a bottle of Tylenol wouldn't have helped anyone in the entire bar. I shifted my weight from one leg to another and looked around casually. I didn't see him for the moment. Hopefully he had Kuraiya and we could get out of here.

The song wasn't that long, so I didn't have another shot at it. Oh well. Hopefully I did better than the drunk. Well, I know I did, but it was up to the crowd, so yeah. No worries, though; I made it to the next round. We repeated the process of numbers and this time instead of song, it was general category. I got number four and same title as my picks. The guy I had to sing against wasn't drunk, so he would prove to be a bit more of a challenge. Our same title song was Miss Independent. I sang Kelly Clarkson's version and he sang Ne-Yo's version. I went first because of his 'ladies first' suggestion. I was more familiar to this song, but I had never really sang it and I had to sing half of it. I begun when they music was in the right place, and I didn't even look around for Kurama. I was concentrating on this song really badly.

"What happened to Miss Independent? No longer need to be defensive, goodbye, old you, when love is true…" I finished the last sections of the first half of the song and handed the microphone over to him. He applauded me, but insisted that he would win it. I wasn't so sure about that. I had people already cheering for me. I just listened to him and was courteous. I mean, he wasn't drunk or a prick, so I might as well before I start a riot. He didn't have a bad voice, but it didn't measure up to mine I response from the audience. Again, I owned.

There were only eight of us remaining. The procedure pretty much repeated, but now we had to sing a song based of the emotion we drew. I was looking around for Kurama, but I couldn't find him. I figured he was where he needed to be, and I needed to concentrate on this. I guess this was his way of knowing I was okay, too. I mean, they have plenty of speakers. Kind of hard to not hear me or anyone else for that matter. My emotion was happiness. And, of all people to get paired with- a bitter, drunk old lady who was cursing about getting happy. She was freakin' furious. She walked out on it, so I didn't have to sing some song about a pocket full of sunshine. That made me kind of happy, but that was time that was just cut out, so there was a bit of a down fall.

"_How are you doing?"_ Kurama asked through telepathy. Honestly, it threw me off a bit. I wasn't expecting that. I was trying to think my reply through, and I might have done it too loudly because his reply to me was something along the lines of I don't have to think that loud for him to get it. I guess I would need practice at that_._

The final four of us drew songs and had to sing the entire song. The four choices we were graced with were: Just a Dream, Because of You, Beautiful, and Womanizer. I wasn't partial to any of the songs, but if I had to like one from the bunch, I would lean toward Because of You.

I wasn't quite that lucky, though. I got Beautiful. Not a tough song, but I had to make it work. I didn't go first, so that gave me time to chill and see what was happening. I still couldn't find Kurama, but I was assuming that, again, he was where he needed to be. My turn was slowly approaching. I just wanted the lady in front of me to stop singing Womanizer. I heard of the song and what she sang was completely different.

Here comes Beautiful.

"Don't look at me. Everyday is so wonderful, and suddenly it's so hard to breathe. Now and then I get insecure from all the pain, feel so ashamed. I am beautiful no matter what they say, words can't bring me down. I am beautiful in every single way. Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no… So don't you bring me down today…" I continued to sing even though I figured out Kurama had retrieved Kuraiya and had knocked a few people out in the process. I saw both of them against the wall listening to me. I saw Kuraiya smile at me. He was a little bruised up, but I suppose we could attribute that to roughhousing.

"Don't you bring me down today… Don't you bring me down, today." Finally my song had ended. I was happy. I found the entire thing entertaining, and again, I had a lot of applause before it was time to give it out. The two behind me shook their heads and sighed. They decided to not go against me. So, I was kind of the winner. That made my night.

We left and took Kuraiya home. I had to do a lot of explaining to Riho, and Kuraiya got a lot of hell. I tried my hardest not to laugh, but a few giggles slipped out every now and then.

"Hey, I'll let you two duke it out. I'll see you in school," I said as I turned to leave. Kurama and I walked back to his house in silence. Right before he opened the door, he turned to me and congratulated me. He also gave me a hug, and this time I was more than happy to take it.

"So, why was Kuraiya in a bar?" I asked Kurama as we walked up the stairs.

"He lost a bet with a human who was in alliance with a demon."

That sounds a little like Kuraiya. That boy does so many stupid things that it's not even funny half of the time. I wonder about him sometimes.

"What was the name of the first song?" Kurama asked me.

"Love Story." He just nodded, and that peaked my curiosity. "Why did you ask?"

"It was a nice song."

"And?"

"And what?"

"You know very well what I am talking about."

"Of all the ones you sang, I liked it the most, but you didn't finish it." He stopped there. We were at the top of the stairs and we were just staring at each other.

"Do you want me to finish it?" I asked him. I was getting the feeling that there was something else, but I wasn't about to ask it. I would rather he bring it up than I.

"That would be nice, just not too loudly. Mother is sleeping."

"Okay," I said as I began the song from the beginning. I sang it softly all the way through. What I found odd was I just kept staring at him the entire time I was singing it. What was odder than that was he was staring at me too. I felt a kiss coming on some time in the near future.

I took a step back and before I could turn, he took my former place and held both of my wrists. Yeah, it was pretty much obvious what was about to happen, but my absentmindedness and short-term memory were playing it up. I looked up and before I remember what was supposed to happen, his lips softly met mine. I wasn't in shock about the kiss as much as I was over how silky smooth his lips were. It wasn't a long kiss and there were no random fireworks that represented a hot moment, but it was pleasant.

Not knowing it, he and I pulled away pretty much at the same time, which made me blush worse than he. I laughed really lightly. I was finding this a little amusing.

"Sorry," I said. I didn't want him to think that I thought this particular moment was one to blow off. "I'll see you in a few hours." I turned to walk to my room, but right as I got to his door, he turned me to face it. I looked up at him. Now there were two possibilities that I was coming up with; I was hoping it was the safe one: to fall asleep with him, not to sleep with him.

"Fall asleep with me?" he whispered his question in my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist.

He was laying it on thick, but it was working. I could not decline his offer. "Sure." I smiled at him, and we walked in together. Mind you, he was still clung to me, so I don't think I could have done it independently.

He slept facing away from the nearest wall while I was facing it. It was nice. I had a human pillow again, and my, was it comfortable. I didn't really notice it the last time, but since I had my face in his chest, I noticed that he smelt like his room- roses; a very faint version, of course.

"You smell nice," I mumbled tiredly. I was beginning to drift off to sleep.

I could tell he smiled; it reflected in his actions. He seemed to be fond of ruffling my hair. He held onto me just tight enough. I felt safe and warm. It had been a while since I had both of those feelings run into each other. It also felt unnatural, but I welcomed it wholeheartedly. I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly as I let my breathing unsynchronized with his. It was every other, which was oddly amazing.

"Good night, Kurama," I said.

"Sleep well, Hatsune," he said as he leaned his head gently against mine and a nearby pillow.


	10. Training and Learning

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya. And now I own Rahvanna. In addition to Rahvanna, I own Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Ten: Training and Learning

That day at school was a little rough just because Riho was being herself in a pissed off state, that is. She was all over me any chance she got. I think I got third degree burns by the time she was done interrogating me. It didn't last but a day or two; however, it was tiresome, and she was about to lose her head if she didn't shut up.

"Riho, I just answered that question," I said irritably. I glared at her long and hard. If looks could only kill…

She finally backed off and pouted. She just mumbled a few things and gave it up for the moment.

We were in PE. In a few minutes the combined classes, girls and guys, were supposed to run five miles. It was a test, but it didn't bother me. I could do it pretty quick. The max time was forty minutes- I didn't need near that long, maybe twenty five tops if I was trying to race someone. Fast should have been my middle name.

It proved interesting. I had two or three people beat me, but they were so into their own competition that I didn't bother them. I don't know that I would have wanted to piss them off at the moment. They were really into it. Whatever.

Life was calm and rather plain for the time being. I worked, went to school, did homework, and chilled. Hell, Kurama and I had tickle wars. (I lost all of them so far.) But, my first weekend of training with Genkai proved to be hell. I attributed it to my knowing nothing and being a little stubborn…

"You couldn't last another three hours on this," Genkai said. She smirked a little.

"I could," I replied. I was focusing what little spirit energy I had into my left index finger and balancing on a damn needle point. I had been going for seventeen hours already. I had to admit, I was tired as hell, but I kept going. I was going to last another three hours even if I passed out right at the mark.

I shocked everyone. By then, Yusuke, Kurama and Kuwabara had stopped by to see if I was still alive and kicking. Well, I could say alive, but the latter was definitely out of the question.

"How long have you been there?" Kuwabara asked.

I tried to think. I couldn't see a clock, so I was about to guess when I heard Genkai walk into the room. "She's been there for nineteen and a half hours."

"Damn," Yusuke stated.

"Learn something from her, you slacker," she said to him.

He ignored her comment.

For the next thirty minutes I was being watched. There were a few times that Yusuke seriously pissed me off. He was pulling the 'I'm not touching you' shit. Seriously, when twenty hours came around the corner, I would punch him in the face. Kurama tried to reason with him, but that was wasted. Kuwabara was arguing with him, too. They were all very annoying and it was making it hard to concentrate. Luckily Genkai walked in and shut them all up.

"Twenty hours and one minute- you're done for the night." She walked out of the room while I fell to the left of the needle of torture. I sighed and was relieved, but I had no energy to move, so I had to postpone my punching Yusuke in the face.

"Are you tired?" Kuwabara asked.

I glared at him. "Are you fucking kidding me?" It was apparent that I was not in the mood, but he wasn't getting that picture at the moment.

He turned to Yusuke and asked him what the matter was with me. It earned him a punch in the face and a few choice words. I half-laughed and groaned. I was in so much pain that it was hard to enjoy the moment. I just smiled to make up for it.

"Hey, what time is it?" I asked the three of them.

"Five past six," Kurama replied.

My attempt to get up was incredibly slow. I swear I saw a snail pass me by. I walked around a little bit. I needed to get feeling back into my 'air-legs'. As I walked into the very large living space, I saw Botan and a girl I did not recognize. Before I could turn around, Botan turned and revealed her balled up happy energy.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you," she said as she ran to me and gave me a hug.

That did it. As soon as she let go, I hit the floor. That caused the three guys to come running into the room. I looked up to see them looking down.

"I'm fine, thanks."

Kuwabara looked up and froze. He was staring at that girl.

"Botan, who is she?" I asked pointing to her.

"Oh, this is Yukina. She's an ice apparition. She's very kind and cute, isn't she?"

Well, I have yet to realize kind, but she was certainly cute. Couldn't deny that. She greeted me very properly; I just smiled. I was still on the floor, but I had managed to sit up. I heard someone's stomach growling. Then, I heard Yusuke nervously laugh.

"So, who else is hungry?"

Botan immediately flipped out and looked at me. "When was the last time you ate?" she pointed at me.

"Not in the last twenty hours," I said. Truly, I had no clue. It might have been two days. When I was in the process of thinking, she yanked me up from my spot and began to look at me, particularly the trunk of my body.

"You're thinner than a pencil!" she exclaimed.

I got what she was saying, but it could have been phrased better.

"I'll force feed you if I have to!" Botan looked pretty serious at this point. She dropped me and ran into the kitchen. I saw Yukina follow her and offer her some help.

"I'm not that thin," I mumbled. I was not happy about her comment. It's not that I thought I was fat or that I'm anorexic or anything of that nature, I just wasn't hungry- that I knew of, anyway. I figured I would attempt to help Botan. That way she wouldn't come running in here with a sharp object.

As I stood I was grabbed around the waist. I looked down to see two hands nearly touching each other. "She's right. You're tiny." Yusuke tried to make his fingers touch for longer than two seconds, but now it was hurting, so I was pretty clear in my message for him to let go of me. He did. After my verbal assault against carrot-top, I think the other two learned something useful. Now, it was how long they were going to remember it that would make it count.

I walked in, and Botan shoved me into a seat and placed a bowl of something in front of me. She commanded me to eat at that point. I just stared at it trying to figure out what it was.

"It's oatmeal!" he whined. Her voice was annoying, but I ate some of it. Honestly, it looked like shit, but tasted amazing. I just smiled at her as she watched me eat it. I wasn't sure if I wanted to open my mouth to talk. I saw the rest of the guys sit and Botan also gave them something to eat. By the time I was done with my first bowl, Yusuke and Kuwabara were getting a fourth bowl. I was full, but Botan kept insisting that I eat. I protested, but I was losing. I eventually convinced her that if I ate much more, I would end up throwing it up.

"I'm going to take a walk," I said as I got up and left. I wasn't sure where I would be walking, but I figured I would just have fun with it. I walked alone. I was a little glad. I thought about a few things that I had tossed onto the backburner. It drained what energy I had left, so I sat against a tree and just chilled for a little bit. It began to rain on my thought parade.

I didn't think about walking back with ten pounds of water on myself. And, unfortunately, my shirt was white; however, I was lucky enough to have put on a black undershirt. It poured hard and that was the only thing I could hear for how long. I wondered exactly how far out I wandered. I used the tree to lift myself up and made my way back to the temple. I noticed that it was not the same scenery I saw when I walked out of the building. I was a little worried.

_I'm a dumbass… I can't even remember which way I came from._

"There you are," I heard someone say as I was grabbed around the waist. I turned to see Yusuke's face. I didn't really notice until now that I was one inch taller than him. I mean, I knew I was taller, but being this close and aware really brings it out. "Let's get back. They're kinda worried; you've been gone for an hour and a half."

"What time is it?" I asked him. I didn't think it had been that long.

"I think it's about nine."

We walked back together in silence. Well, that was at the end. Before that, he was making cracks about how my shirt was completely see through and that he could totally take me right now. I was a little skeptical on the take me part because there was a dual meaning on that phrase. He seemed to be getting into it when I took him completely off-guard. I think that's why the latter part of the walk was in silence.

"Yeah, I could take you right now," he said. He had this smirk dancing about his mouth.

"Really? Well, if you can, then why don't you?" I was being completely serious about it too. My face reflected my words. He shut up at that point.

We were greeted by Kurama at the back door. Hiei was in a nearby tree staring down at us.

"You should shower and get some rest. Master Genkai is going to work you harder tomorrow," Kurama said with some degree of pure concern. I think he was worried that I needed help walking, not so much that I was tired.

I thanked Yusuke and let go of him. I walked in on my own and Yukina and Botan dragged me to the bath. They stood guard to make sure I bathed and to make sure no one walked in on me. I relaxed and cleaned up well. I sighed a few times- that was my way of relaxing and just letting out all of the stresses of the day.

I dried off and let the two of them know that I was done. My hair was slightly damp and I noticed it was longer. It went beyond my clavicle; it hadn't been there for a long time. I was kind of glad. I walked out and the two led me to a room. It was connected to another by a sliding door, but that didn't worry me as much as it did the other two. Also, there was a door to the outside. Again, I didn't care. I had to convince them to just let me rest, and eventually they went away- Kurama helped me with that, actually. He made sure they didn't pester me for a little while.

I was physically tired, but mentally my mind was running in circles. I was so curious about anything and everything that crosses my mind. I rolled around a few times and sighed. I didn't have the energy to sit up, so I just rolled onto my stomach and placed my arms under my chin. My mind wandered off and I went with it.

"Where are the girls?"

"I don't know."

"Don't just stand there, moron; go look for them!"

"We're here!"

I heard all of this racket, but I didn't know who it was or where it was coming from exactly. I groaned in discontent and forced myself to sit up. I was groggy and a little light-headed. The noise kept growing and a few blasts had occurred.

"Yusuke, watch where you're shooting!"

"Get out of the way, then!"

Now I was super curious. I stood up and slowly trudged to the doors. Unexpectedly, the back doors opened, and before I could turn, I was hit in the back. I went flying through the doors, into more doors, and I hit the wall of an empty room. I mumbled a few expletives as I looked up to see who it was. Some ugly mug was in front of me. He was blue and purple and had five arms.

"You're so ugly," I said to him. Maybe that was a bad idea. I was lifted up and thrown through the wall which happened to lead into the living room. I fell into the middle of the line of fire while the ugly demon walked through the hole in the wall.

"Urameshi, you said everyone was awake!" Kuwabara yelled as he hit a demon with his sword.

"Oops," he said nervously before punching a demon.

"Thanks for remembering me," I said as I hopped up and got out of the way of a metal pole. Now, where that demon got that from, I'm not sure, but I figured one swing would be enough to take me out. I decided to take this outside. I would have more room to move about.

"Get back here, you human bitch," said the multicolored demon as he ran after me.

"Hey," Yusuke yelled, "don't wander off!" I barely heard his comment.

On the way out, I passed both Kurama and Hiei who just stared as I ran out. They had their own battle to deal with. I noticed that they had plenty of demons on their hands. I got into a wooded area. It wasn't too heavy, but it was enough for me to be able to have something near me to use as protection.

"There she is," I heard three say. I turned to see three demons that looked like the first one I ran from. I decided to run back, but the ugly one caught up and I was surrounded by four look-a-likes.

_Great…_

I had tried to devise a plan, but I wasn't sure how I would go about it. I thought about letting two knock each other out and have the other two do the same until I was left with one, but even then, I would be tried because that plan would take a lot of work for them to do that to each other. I figured fighting would take less energy.

All four rushed in at the same time, and I instinctively jumped up to the closest branch. I swung myself into it and they attacked each other at the same time. They apparently put enough force into it that it knocked all of them out.

"That was pretty sweet," I said as I smiled. They did my work for me, so I wasn't about to complain. "Okay, time to go back inside." I hopped down from the tree and landed very ungracefully. Oh yeah, that was going to get the guys to fawn over me. I shook my head and began to walk until I was hit on the ankle and fell to my side. I looked over to see one demon had not been knocked completely unconscious.

_Well, there went that idea…_

I got up stumbled back a little bit. My ankle might have been broken, but I definitely knew that it hurt like a mother when I stood on it.

He got up and had his pole in hand. He lunged into battle and all I could do was dodge on one foot. I even threw in a few rolls on the grass. I was trying to figure out how to get the pole when the other three goons got up. I figured now was a good time to run. I ran and the four followed me. I got out of the forest. Not all four were exactly on my tail, but two definitely were close- close enough to probably hit me with that pole.

Well, the damn pole hit me in the same ankle it struck, so if it wasn't already broken, then it was now. I couldn't run well anymore, so it just had to stop and fight four ugly mugs. Oh, this would prove interesting. I just stood there thinking of something clever to do, but nothing came, so fists were first. That didn't last very long. I landed on my butt and looked up. There were four demons standing in front of me with a pole and a killer look. Wrong place wrong time had screwed me over this time.

Poles came toward me and I threw my arms up and shielded my, quite literally without my own knowledge. I saw a pile of ash and a glowing shield before me. I was lost- I didn't know where this came from. I didn't waste it though. The one that survived took off and it didn't take long for him to turn into a pile of ash. I walked back to the temple and saw everyone at the front doors.

Botan ran up to me and I had to avoid her hug. My hands were still glowing and I wasn't sure if it would disintegrate her.

She looked a little sad. I had to explain to her, and she looked a little scared.

"Why do you think I moved?" I asked her.

She just wore an 'oh' look on her face.

I looked down at my hands and tried to 'turn the shield off'. I was shaking my hands, flinging them around, and flicking my fingers, but nothing seemed to work in my or anyone else's favor- it just made it worse actually.

A shard of my shield thing hit Yusuke and Kuwabara. They bled.

"Hey, watch it," Yusuke said as he dodged a few more.

"I'm trying to figure out how to, but I don't know how I did this in the first place!" I was getting frustrated. Seriously, maybe if I just fell asleep, but I wasn't so sure about that for an odd reason.

"Just die," Hiei said.

I looked a little mortified. "Huh?"

Everyone except Kurama was taken back by his comment. It almost incited a riot, but Kurama had to rephrase his words.

"I think he means to say let your heart stop beating."

I got it at that point. Now I wore the 'oh' expression. "How do I do that?"

"Wait a minute!" Yusuke interjected. "What do you mean 'let your heart stop beating'?"

I was at a loss for words on how to explain that one since I couldn't really explain it well to begin with. I made a sad attempt to and I think it just confused everyone more. I just stopped because I was getting confused myself. I figured it would take its own course, eventually anyway.

"Hatsune," said Genkai as she walked in on the scene, "your training for the day begins now. Get in here."

The sun hadn't even risen yet and she was ready to kill me. Tomorrow at school was going to be hell, and the test in science didn't make it any better. I unwillingly walked in and I saw her and two others. They looked human, but they sure didn't feel like it.

"Do I have to fight these two?" I asked her nervously.

"No," she stated. "Besides, they'd win."

The two that stood before me, I'm assuming, were twins. They were lanky and had some non-human qualities, such as purple eyes and white hair with blue streaks and claws. They walked up to me and began to look me over as I heard the rest of them walk in.

I quit trying to figure out what they were doing. I didn't want to know anymore. I just wanted to know why there were a part of my training. They stopped and took a step back as they bowed.

"I am Sakaki," said the one clad in green and gold.

"And, I am Sasaki," announced the one dressed in blue and black.

"Uh, hi?" I said a little confused. "I'm Hatsune."

The two of them motioned for me to sit and I did. I saw the others disperse- some went back to sleep and some went outside, so it was just Sakaki, Sasaki, and myself. They began talking to me about themselves, which led to their power, and eventually mine. It was a bit awkward, but I followed most of it. I nodded every so often and said nothing for the most part. By the time they finished talking, my hands weren't glowing and my heart had stopped beating.

"That happens subconsciously when you recognize danger. When that present danger disperses from your environment, your heart stops in order to store it," explained Sakaki.

Sasaki continued Sakaki's explanation, then explained to me how I needed to go about it. "You need to learn to override your instinct through control in those situations. If you don't, it won't be pretty when someone scares the hell out of you."

As if on cue, I was picked up and throw up into the air. Normally I would be a bit jumpy, but I held it in and did my best to keep things in check. It worked.

"Aw, damn, that was no fun," Yusuke said as he walked away.

"Was that part of all of this?" I asked the twins.

"No," they replied in unison.

It was my turn to ask them a question since they weren't talking to me. "So, is this a special kind of thing or is it common around demons?"

They shook their head. "Only so many possess such great defensive power like this. It is rare."

"And, you two know about this how?" I asked them.

"Because," Sakaki began, "we can do it, too."

Sasaki nodded and demonstrated. I could even hear her heart starting and stopping. I was amazed at how unnoticeable it was. They only clue I had was hearing it out.

Truly, I thoroughly enjoyed what I was listening to. As soon as she was done demonstrating, they led me outside and deep into the woods in order to try to get me to control when I could start and stop my heart.

Well, after about ten hours, I had managed to successfully start and stop my heart. I didn't have much control, precision, or speed, but I had accomplished controlling my heart beat. One down, many more to go. Joy.

I walked back alone since they had to depart on another job they did not bother mentioning much. Not only was I a physical mess, but I had the mental capacity to match it now. I thought about sleeping under a tree, but what happened this morning made me decided against it. It took me a while to get back, but when I did, time was not wasted. Botan forced me to eat. She even managed to drag me into the kitchen and put me in a chair. As she cooked, Yukina kept me company. She was very kind, indeed. I enjoyed her presence to Botan's raging one at the moment.

When I was released from the confinement of the kitchen, I walked past everyone and headed for the shower. I needed to clean up and get some rest. Before I could do that I had to fight someone in the room. Genkai was really pushing it, but I so wanted that shower.

"I'll do it. Besides, I have to keep my word from earlier," said Yusuke as he jumped up from his seat.

_Yeah, I could take you right now…_

I was not happy. I had an idiot and a crazy mentor standing between me and a shower with some sleep afterwards.

"Let's do this outside," he stated.

"It won't take long; right here is fine," I said tiredly.

He laughed. I guess he assumed I would be out in a little bit. I had a surprise in store, so the laugh might be on him if he wasn't careful.

I saw his index finger glow and I just waited for the moment to pop my shield out and let him eat his shot. I got stared at and Kuwabara kept saying something about moving or getting my butt kicked and whatnot. I told him to shut up. He was getting annoying at this point.

"Spirit gun!"

Show time. I flicked my thumb and finger and his spirit gun turned around not long after he shot it. Yeah, he ate his own shot. It was pretty epic, too. He landed flat on his butt and he might have been in a little shock.

"The kid wins. Slacker, get up," said Genkai.

I walked off and claimed my prize- shower and sleep.

I was woken up by Kurama. It was dark, so I knew it was after five or six o'clock. "Get up," he said quietly. "We need to be heading back home."

I mumbled something completely incoherent, but I complied with his statement. I got up and rubbed my eyes. "Why so early?" I asked. It was obvious that I was still half-asleep.

He laughed at me and ruffled my hair. "It's seven o'clock."

"Oh," I said as I trailed off feeling a little stupid. I just wasn't awake yet and that wouldn't happen for at least another hour. I got up only to be pulled back down and subjected to a tickle war. I just erupted into laughter as I vainly attempted to escape.

"Heeeeeeeeey," I whined a little.

That didn't stop anything. The opening door did.

"What did I tell you last time? Keep your human fun down," said Hiei apparently annoyed. I'm not too sure what his problem was, but I wasn't about to delve into it at the moment. Well, that ended the tickle fight: Kurama twelve, Hatsune, zero.

I grabbed what little I brought, and we said our good-bys as we left. The journey home passed by quickly. When we got there, his mother was up watching TV in the living room. We spent some time with her until she felt the need to retire for the night. Kurama helped her and kept her some company right before she went to sleep. I chilled on the couch and about fell asleep there until Kurama had pushed me over. I didn't fall off; I just landed on the arm rest.

"What was that for?"

"You've slept how long already and you are still tired?"

"Drained is a better word for it." I sat up and I was pushed down again when he sat.

"Again, what was that for?"

He did not respond to this one. I was trying to figure out the purpose behind this, but I didn't bother since the only thing my mind could process were the fundamental things like breathing.

"Forget about it then." I leaned back onto the couch and looked at the ceiling. I began to count the popcorn pieces there, but I failed miserably. I just couldn't concentrate long enough to figure out where my placement was or what number I was. I got up and headed upstairs. I figured I would sleep in my bed.

I got to the door, opened it and flipped the switch up. Everything appeared normal, so I was glad. I walked over to the window and cracked it slightly. It was a little musty in the room. I sat on my bed and leaned against the wall. I sighed and then took in a deep breath. I let it out slowly as I heard something in my room move. I knew I had left the door slightly open, but that sound seemed like it had been in my room before I got in here.

I opened my eyes to see a demon. There were minimal human qualities to this lizard-like man. He was a deep red, scaly thing with black eyes and tattered clothes. He held a rigid knife in one hand and reached for me with the other. He grabbed my shirt and pulled me close as he spoke to me. I concentrated slightly more on the knife that as conveniently placed near my heart. It reminded me of what Sakaki and Sasaki told me.

_Your heart contains your powers like that shield. You can use some of it without it beating, but it holds a good portion of it. You cannot let it get stabbed or ripped out; your power will be uncontrollable and dangerous to everyone and yourself. You won't die, but you'll be permanently damaged._

"If you don't come with me, I'll kill you," he said coldly.

"What do you want with me?" I asked him. "I want an answer before I think about leaving this room," I clearly stated.

"My boss wants you as entertainment, if you know what I mean," he said as he looked me over once or twice, I wasn't sure.

"Really?"

I remembered Kurama's comment about not having to yell my thoughts out, well, this time I ignored it. I screamed out 'there's a visitor' telepathically, and honestly, I think everyone and their mother heard it.

"Well, in order for me to leave, I have to dress nice," I said. I was definitely lying, but he didn't have to know that. I got up and heard footsteps, so I made this one quick. I punched the guy, who dropped the knife. My window was opened just enough for me to throw him out of it. That's when Kurama walked in.

"What visitor are you talking about?" he asked as he looked around.

"He decided to leave early," I said as I picked his knife up.

I heard a kick and I looked out the window. Hiei had kicked a chunk of the guy away from me. "Next time you throw trash out the window, look out of it first."

"Okay," I said as I dropped the knife which landed right next to Hiei's foot. I just smiled as he glared at me. I closed the window and saw Kurama sitting on my bed.

"Nap time!" I happily announced. I hopped onto my bed, but I was pushed off. "Seriously what was that for?" I asked as I placed my chin onto the mattress.

"I was told to keep up your training throughout the week, so this is one way to keep you on your feet."

I pouted a little bit. I wasn't in the mood to train right now. "I wanna sleep, though."

"Find a way to move me from your bed and you will sleep."

"Any restrictions?"

"Do not destroy anything or make incessant noise."

Okay, so I had to think about that. I had a few thoughts, but in the end they would prove to be destructive. I sighed. This might take a while.

I had an idea, but I wasn't sure how well it was going to work. I gave it a shot and it proved interesting. I made the bed sheets like my shield, so Kurama hopped off them- they were freakin' hot. I mean, hot enough to burn your skin. I stopped it as soon as he hopped off, but when I got up, I lost my footing which made me make him loose his footing and we both landed on the floor.

"Sorry," I muttered. I was right next to him. "I swear it was an accident."

"I do not think I believe you," he said playfully. He began to tickle me, but it didn't scale into an all out war. It was more like torture.

"Hey, stop it. I won so I get to go to sleep," I said while squirming around. He had a grip on me so I couldn't get away completely. He eventually stopped whenever I was facing him. There wasn't but an inch gap between us. It was a change of scenery from the last couple of days.

I took the initiative to close the gap, but he was quicker than I. The kiss was short and soft, sort of like a good night kiss after the date kind of thing. With that, he left the room. I got up and walked over to my bed and instantaneously fell asleep as I felt the comfort of the cool, clean sheets against my skin.

That cursed alarm rang and woke me from my pleasant slumber. I rolled out of bed and got dressed since I had taken a shower the night before. I was downstairs rather quickly and I put some bread in the toaster. I figured I better maintain my pencil figure at the minimum before Botan force fed me every waking moment of the day. I looked over my physics notes as I sat down and began to eat toast. I was a little worried about that test. I mean, they got posted, which kind of sucked. That never happened in America. While I was occupied, Kurama walked in and began to make tea.

When he both finished out morning routing, we walked to school together. We had a brief conversation. Nothing important or pertinent to the day's schedule, just something random and fun. It was funny in a way.

Before I could take an entire step into the school, Kuraiya tackled me from behind. "Hey! How was your weekend?"

"It was great," I said. It was only a half lie. That one part was worse than Hell.

"Really, what did you do?"

Oh, great, now I had to think of something to tell him other than what actually happened. I bent the truth greatly. "Well, Shuichi and I walked a trail through the woods and gardened." Oh yeah, that was a lie. The only thing real about it was being in nature.

"That's what you consider great?" Kuraiya asked. "You're boring."

I pushed him off me and proceeded to walk into the school. I dropped my stuff off in class, but I had less time than I thought, so I just stayed there and looked over a few notes of mine when Rahvanna walked in.

She took her seat and turned around to talk to me. I assumed she wanted a pencil until she asked me about the demon that was in my room last night.

"So, did you kill him?"

I was flabbergasted. "How do you know about that?"

"I sent him," she stated plainly.

The bitch- no she didn't! "Any particular reason?" I was a little livid, but I tried to hold that back. That wasn't funny or entertaining in my eyes.

"Well, I wanted to see how well you carried yourself… So, did you kill it?"

"I threw him out the window along with his knife," I said as the bell rang and students walked in. She turned around and resumed her search for a pencil. I was glad that she found one.

Immediately the teacher began the test. We had only an hour to finish it, and I figured I would need the entire hour to try to get all the answers on the paper. It passed by fast, and I answered all but one, so I figured I did rather well. The math and English lessons today sucked. I didn't pay much attention to either one; I was thinking about what Rahvanna said to me. It bothered me. I wanted to know why she did that. Maybe I would catch her on the roof again if I skipped civics and foreign language.

"_Pay attention," Kurama said._

I looked up to see the teacher writing the homework assignments on the board for math and English. I wrote them down and began to throw my stuff in my case when the bell rang. I sighed and left the room. Everything was going to be hazy until I got that off my mind.

I left with that on my mind. I figured Kuraiya and Riho would be a good distraction. It sort of was. Riho threw another round of twenty questions my way: she wanted to know why we did hang out or why I didn't call her.

"Riho, we're not dating," I said plainly.

"But we used to always hang out!" she said powerfully, but there was a whiney tone to it.

"I'm just busy a lot, that's all."

"Yeah, busy…" she mumbled.

Kuraiya snickered at the busy comment. I knew where his mind went to.

"Grow up," I told him.

"Maybe I don't want to."

I didn't bother replying to that comment. I just finished my cookie and stood up. I walked around a little bit and I wish I hadn't. I ran into Rahvanna.

"Still thinking about it?" she asked me. It seemed like she was thoroughly entertained by sending a demon after me.

"Not until you mentioned it."

"Well, you better be ready for the tournament," she said. I noticed she had this look. I wasn't too sure what it was, but I didn't like it really. I didn't know the chick, but she was seriously freakin' me out. I just wanted to go to PE now and run away from her. That may change later.

PE was slightly suckish. Dodgeball against a bunch of girls proved to be a waste of time. There were few that could really dish out a powerful ball. That saddened me. And, all of the whining from the 'in-crowd' was annoying as hell. I wanted to leave this class now. Never before was I so happy to hear the words 'go shower'.

Civics was an interesting drag- the project was responsible for that. We were currently going over psychology and sociology and we had to be married to someone and pretend to live that lifestyle for a week. Oh joy. I couldn't wait to jump on top of that assignment. My partner was some guy I didn't know. He was only in civics and foreign language with me, but he was nice, so it wasn't going to completely suck, I guess. Kurama landed himself with one of his fan girls. I felt a little bad for him. He would have to suffer for an entire week.

Our second language was introduced today- French. It was interesting, very interesting… A bunch of Japanese student trying to speak French. I thought the French acent was weird but when you twist it with a Japanese one, it just flew right off this planet. Latin went by easy and it sort of helped with some French, but I wasn't relying on it too much. I was just trying to get that damn accent down. It wasn't working so well.

All classes were released and I had that kid waiting for me at my locker.

"Hey, Shinya," I said as I was opening my locker.

"Do you think we can get started on the paper part of the sociology project?" he asked me.

"That's fine. You want to go to your house or the park or something like that?" I asked him while getting some books out and putting some in.

"How about the park?"

"That sounds great." I grabbed the last of my things and we headed out. I ran into Kurama before we left and I let him know where I would be for the next how long telepathically.

"_Wacth for demons, okay?" _

_"I will. Wouldn't want the kid to faint."_

We walked until we hit the park. There was an empty bench, so we decided that would be a good stop to take and work. We got started filling out stuff about us, then we moved onto the questions about each other. Some were amusing.

"How many kids do you want," I asked him.

"Uh," he said, obviously thinking about it, "maybe one."

I laughed a little as I wrote that down. He began a lot of things with 'uh'. I guess he wasn't expecting a project like this. He'll get used to it as soon as it ended, probable.

"I get to ask you a question now," he said a little happily.

"Go ahead," I said.

I heard rustling in the trees and bushes around. I think Shinya heard it too because he didn't ask his question. The wind wasn't blowing, so I figured there was uninvited company around. I got nervous because he didn't need to see a demon or me kicking its ass. This was going to suck hardcore.

Out of the tree jumped three little demons. Actually they looked like mutated squirrels, but I knew better than that. Shinya however…

"Oh my God!" he yelled as he began to freak out.

"Shinya calm down," I said calmly. I was trying to figure out what they wanted.

"Come with us," the three of them said.

"I grabbed Shinya and I heard their disapproval. "No, just you; the boy stays here."

I looked at him and told him to go home. I told him we would work on this tomorrow. As he ran off, I walked with the demon creatures. I had no clue where this was going, but I had an idea of who sent them.


	11. Let's Have Some Fun

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya. And now I own Rahvanna. In addition to Rahvanna, I own Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: A Japanese student returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls in her first year of high school. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her, but chaos returns to her home and flips her life upside down.

Chapter Eleven: Let's Have Some Fun

I followed the little buggars to an opening in the nearby woods. I was a little curious why it wasn't in so deep, but I just kept to myself for the time being. I was still trying to figure out why those three things had to fetch me instead of her. I knew she was a little off, but this completely confirms that she's jumped off the cliff.

They stopped and I followed suit. I looked around to see if there was anything special, but nothing- it was just a plain area that looked well-taken care of. Okay, so that might have been the special part, but that wasn't exactly what I was looking for.

I heard rustling and feet as I looked to my left. Strolling out of the woods, Rahvanna just walked calmly and wore a blank expression. Man, I hope she wasn't in a pissy mood. I don't think I would be sticking around for that show.

She stopped a few feet in front of me. I turned fully to look her in the eye.

"And, I'm here why?" I asked her. I had no time for this at the moment. I just wanted to get to the point, but I had a feeling she would drag it out. Those three goons reminded me of that thought.

"Because I want you to be here."

Uh huh. So I had no clue what that meant, but she was suddenly in a good mood, which significantly worried me. Now would be a good time to plan an escape. Unfortunately there was only one obvious way in and out.

The silence between us was awkward. She just stared at me and the clouds. It was like she was waiting for something to happen or for someone to come. I didn't know which, but I didn't want to find out. I wanted out of this. It was getting slightly annoying.

The squirrel things formed a triangle around me and began chanting something. I looked down at them and raised an eyebrow. I took a step back to screw with them, but they followed quickly. Plan B: eradicate the three vexes. I thought about blowing them up, but that wouldn't end up being clean and everyone would be able to notice it, so I definitely thought against it; for the time being, anyway. Maybe I could try something new… Well, not entirely new. I had a dream about doing some funky move that would turn things inside out. It worked in the dream, but did it work in real life? I was about to find out.

I flicked my fingers at each of them and made a circle with my index. I quickly pulled my hand back and voila gone wrong! They were inside out, per se. Their insides were out is a better way to put it. My 'strings' had ripped their skeleton and organs from the inside of their bodies. That was pretty gross.

"Oh, sick…" I said with a disgusted look on my face. Second note to self: never do that again unless it's absolutely necessary.

Rahvanna was amused at the sight of her creatures being gutted. "That was truly impressive." She snapped her fingers and their remains froze and shattered.

She went from a somber girl to a giddy teen. She bounced around a little bit and ran over to me. Clinging to my wrists, she made me jump in circles with her.

While I was forced to celebrate something I was unaware of, I heard other jumping, but it was through trees. I looked around to see where it was coming from, but it was moving rather fast. Maybe if I wasn't preoccupied…

"WOW! I can't believe you did that. It was so cool!" she exclaimed as she continued her random parade of joy.

"Uh, yeah, neither can I," I replied as I tried to figure out who was around us.

_"What are you and that girl doing?"_

I looked around even more. I knew that voice rather well even though he rarely spoke to me. Hiei was in one of those trees watching, but I couldn't tell which just yet.

_"I'm being forced to celebrate the gutting of her mutant squirrels."_

_"Hn."_

That was the only reply I got from him, and it was the last that I was aware of.

Rahvanna stopped jumping around and looked at a tree behind her.

"Who's the guy in the tree over there?" she asked me.

"What guy? I don't see one," I said as I looked at the tree. Hiei wasn't there when I looked. No surprise.

"I swear there was a guy there," she whined a little as she said it. "THERE WAS A GUY THERE, DAMN IT!"

Oh my, this girl is bipolar. I need to get the hell out of here. First she's serious, then happy, and suddenly she's gone into a mad frenzy. Someone forgot to take her medicine this morning.

As she spun deeper into her frenzy, I decided that now would be a good time just to waltz out of the clearing. Apparently not. She latched onto me and I was thrown into her madness. I had to dodge everything she threw at me. I wasn't so lucky when I was first thrown in, but after a few hits, I managed to get control of my part of the situation and dodge everything else. After some odd amount of minutes, she cooled down and began to laugh.

_What the hell is wrong with you?_

While she was laughing, I stayed put. I didn't want to get thrown around again. She was one crazy bitch. That was the best way to describe her, but I figured I would keep that to myself. She fell over and began to roll around as she held her waist. Her laughing fit was boring, so in the midst of it, I ran like hell and got out of there. This time, I was actually out of there.

I went back to the park and chilled on the same bench that I left earlier. I poked at my arms and right leg. They were bruised. I wasn't that bad off, but I got beat up by a maniac. I could add that to my list of firsts now. I looked up at the sky for a little until I heard the same rustling from earlier.

"Hey, Hiei," I said. I resumed looking at the clouds.

"Hn."

Okay, classic response I guess. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I didn't bother getting involved in it. I heard a few other sounds and when I went to look over in his general direction, I had a sword being pointed at my nose. I stared at it cross eyed for a moment, then I looked at him.

"What?" I asked.

"Your training starts now."

Woah, training in public? Isn't that a little dangerous?

"Here?"

He said nothing as he ran off. Well, I guess I was supposed to follow him. If not, I think he would kill me when he came back. Obviously, I wasn't nearly as fast as him, but it didn't take me long to get to the designated destination- Kurama's backyard. Yeah, that was a tough one to figure out.

I saw him in the yard, then he was gone. Seriously, if this was going to be a game of cat and mouse, it was going to end up pissing me off. I looked around and I couldn't find him. I was just a sitting duck waiting to be shot at this point. That was not a comforting thought when I was getting deep into it.

I was trying to think what this training was about. Thinking too hard may have been my downfall. In the midst of my excessive thought, I was attacked. And, I was incredibly slow in dodging most of the attacks. I had to move in order to not get stabbed and even then I was pretty pathetic. I had to use my shield in order to save my sorry self. I was way too slow.

"You're pathetic," Hiei stated as he briefly stopped his flurry of moves.

"Tell me something I don't already know, shorty."

The third note to self: don't call Hiei shorty, especially when he's already kicking your ass. I imagine I would be neglecting this note a lot.

If it wasn't for my shield, I know I would have already died. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind. I was going to get worked to the bone this weekend. I could already feel it.

After a few extra rounds of getting my butt handed to me on a silver platter, all of the attacks stopped. Hiei just walked off at that point. I think he went to find a tree and forget how pathetic this session was. The latter part was sounding pretty good to me right now.

I was a little disheveled at this point. My brown hair pointed in many different directions. My clothes were intact, but there were a few grass stains. Those were going to be a blast to try to get out. Honestly, I needed to buy some clothes. I could stand to wear my uniform all the time. Maybe I would go shopping sometime when I didn't have training or work or whatever else I could think of.

I walked into the house and I saw Kurama and his mother talking to each other. She looked up at my sloppy appearance.

"Are you hurt, Hatsune?" she asked me. She wore a worried expression.

"No, I just got acquainted one too many times with the grass, that's all." I was trying to keep a cover. I was pretty sure she wasn't aware of my training and such. She smiled at me and I returned it. I walked past them and headed upstairs. I thought about showering, but again, I didn't even break a sweat from all of that. I imagine if I was faster, I might have, but for now, I could deal with being sweat-less and still smelling fresh. I figured since it wasn't that late I would do some shopping today. I might as well. I didn't want to study for the upcoming practice exams.

I changed into black Bermuda shorts and a green v-neck. It wasn't a deep one, so I didn't bother with a tank top underneath it. I grabbed my pretty black and yellow purse and headed downstairs. I was about to leave, but I remembered that it might not be a bad idea to tell Kurama and his mother that I would be going out.

I popped into the living room to only see Kurama.

"Hey, I'm going out for a while. Is that okay?"

He looked up from his activity. "Yes."

I smiled at him and let him know that I would be back in an hour or two. I walked out and didn't even take a few steps before I saw Botan.

"Hatsune!" she exclaimed as she hugged me. "What are you up to?"

"I'm going shopping," I said to her.

Instantaneously, she went from happy to hyper and excited. She insisted that she go with me. I didn't argue with her. I figured she would go with me even if I said no. So, off to the mall we went. (She led the way.)

When we got there, she proposed a building block plan. Basically, she wanted me to start from the fundamentals of clothing to what is seen on the outside. Off to the lingerie store we go. It wasn't so bad until she started pulling random bras out of the drawers and holding them up. That was a little embarrassing. I was so glad that no one I knew was there with us.

"Yusuke!" I heard some girl yell.

Just my luck. He was here with some girl.

"Urameshi, seriously, quit screwing around," said a familiar voice- carrot-top.

Oh, this was going to be wonderful. Botan heard the voices and dropped the bras. She drug me out of the store only to immediately run into the trio.

"Botan, hey," said Yusuke. He held the side of his face. It looked swollen slightly.

Botan and the three talked for a minute before she introduced me to the girl I didn't know.

"Hatsune, this is Keiko," Botan said as she pointed to an obviously annoyed girl.

"Uh, hi," I said. I don't think I'd seen her before.

"Oh, you're that girl that was with the girl who slipped."

Wait, I have seen her, but it was brief enough for me to forget who she was. "Yeah, Riho is something else. It's nice to properly meet you."

"So, uh, Botan, Hatsune, what are you doing here?" asked Kuwabara.

"Shopping," I quickly answered, but Botan still blurted out that she was helping me shop for lingerie. I had to find a way to shut her up. I just shook my head and looked down. She was embarrassing, I'll give her that.

Yusuke was laughing, but it wasn't very obnoxious like I thought it might be. I think Keiko would have slapped him, again. I figured out what the swelling was about.

"Urameshi, be considerate," Kuwabara scolded.

"Don't bother," I began, "he's too thick-headed to comprehend that." I didn't think about my comment when I had stated it. I stopped and had this 'processing thoughts' sign plastered on my face as a cover up. I knew he could be considerate, but I was talking about the current moment.

We didn't talk for much longer. Someone was calling for Kuwabara. He said it was his sister, Shizuru, so all three of them left. Botan and I continued shopping. We went back into the store and it didn't take that long to get out considering the stuff I was going to buy was still in the place I left them.

Off to clothes now. That was entertaining actually. Botan helped me pick out some cute clothes along with some comfy ones. I was elated. She made me get a dress. I wasn't thrilled about it, but it was very flattering on me, so I didn't turn it down. Before we left, she made me get three sets of footwear- flats, sneakers, and heels.

I had never before spent this much on clothes or had three huge bags. I still had money left over, but my my. Hopefully, I wouldn't have to buy clothes for a while. She walked with me back to Kurama's house. It was beginning to get dark. I had been out for at least two hours; I may have been on my third, I wasn't sure. She walked in with me and we quickly put the clothes into my room before slipping into the kitchen to see he and his mother drinking tea and talking.

Both of us had a pleasantly surprised look on our face as we walked in on their conversation. Botan looked a little guilt-ridden, but I was still surprised. I hadn't heard any talking until I entered the kitchen.

"Hello," his mother greeted us as she stood. Instantly he stood too. She excused herself from the table. I guess it was time for her shower and later, bedtime. He helped her into her room and returned to the kitchen.

"Well, you have been gone for some time," he said as he walked back in.

I looked at the clock. It had been three and a half hours.

"Oh, wow. I underestimated the time I was out." I looked at Botan. "I didn't take Botan into that equation though," I said as I looked at her. She smiled nervously at me.

"Well, it was fun," she said with the same look.

"So, what exactly were you two doing?" he asked us as he set two cups of tea down in front of each of us.

"We went shopping," Botan said happily. She began with running into Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko. I figured it was safe to start drinking my tea, so I proceeded. As soon as I took my first sip, she mentioned how cute one of my bras was. I choked on my tea as I set the cup down.

"Botan!" I managed to get out.

She had this cat-like grin on her face. "Oh, you know it was cute."

I wasn't denying that. However, I didn't want her parading it around to everyone and their mother. There is a reason that bras go under the clothing, not on top. Kurama just chuckled at the two of us. I guess he was finding entertainment in this.

It wasn't long before Botan left. Now, it was back to an awkward silence.

"Have you studied for the practice midterms?" Kurama asked.

"Nope," I bluntly said as I drank more tea. I was hoping there would be no more surprises.

"You know they're in a few days right?"

Again, I choked on my tea. "Huh?" I didn't realize that all most five weeks had passed. That job and all the training really made things seem to move faster. Confusion rapidly spread across my features. I was thinking back on all of the training and lessons I had. I had learned a lot about my powers and past and such, but there were two things I wasn't getting very well: precision and speed. I seriously needed to work on those two. At this point, I think precision would be easier than speed for me, but I'll see come this weekend.

The past few days were boring. I was somewhat glad practice exams were here, but I was nervous because I never once picked up a book or study aid. English was no problem- it was physics that made my stomach turn a few times. I just took a deep breath in and began my exam, starting with physics and chemistry. Oh, joyous day…

After the allotted time had passed, we were handed the math exam consisting of analytical geometry and trigonometry. I saw Kuraiya cringe at the sight of it. I swear he got paler as the test continued. I just smiled. This was something I could do. I wasn't worried about it.

English was the icing on my cupcake for the morning exams. This was by far the easiest exam I'd ever laid eyes on. I was more than happy to take it. I saw Kuraiya was filled with joy too. And, I think I could sense that Rahvanna was glad about it. Of course she would be; she was American, so she should make a hundred percent on it. I wasn't too sure of the grading scale, but one hundred percent should translate as perfect. I didn't worry about it much.

Lunch was a wonderful reprieve. I met up with the cousins and we sat under out usual tree. We talked about the exam and we all had our grievances save for English, for the most part. There was one part that did confuse me- I have to admit that. As we talked that annoying girl came over again. I swear she was stupid.

"You with the brown hair," she said as she pointed to me.

It was my turn to give her the 'who the hell do you think you are' look. Mine was nothing on Kuraiya's, but it was sufficient in its purpose. I just stared at her as she rambled off a bunch of nonsense. I wasn't about to give her the time of day until she decided to hit me. It was on now. Her slap to my face called for me punching her in the ovaries. I opted for the face instead. I figured if it was more visible, it would make more of an impact for the time being. I hit her harder than I had originally intended; her face was red and swollen. I could tell a bruise was starting to form. I didn't feel bad for her, but I wasn't trying to knock her off her block. I realized that my heart had started beating.

_That would be why…_

"_Now, what have I told you about getting into physical altercations with others?"_

Kurama was stepping into my mind now, and I had no answer. Peachy. I happened to conveniently forget that I wasn't supposed to punch anyone for that fact that I could knock them out without knowing.

_"Don't."_

I figured I would get hell from her posse after school, so I decided to tail it out of there right after the end of the exams. It's not like I had any homework or anything, and I was supposed to go straight to Genkai's anyway. Precision and speed were on the list.

The bell rang and Riho and I headed for PE. In honor of promoting the idea to be physically active, the coaches made us sign up for at least one sport. Riho chose to do softball and field hockey. I guess she did those in Chicago because she was pretty confident in herself. I chose track and field as my first and softball as my second. I used to do the hundred meter dash and shot-put in Philadelphia, so I figure I would go with what I know. Softball was a little new to me. I've only played a game or two of it. Time to learn something new.

Our exam was to go through both sports during the class period. Riho and I were on the same team for the short game of ball. She played short stop and I was left-center. All I was told was to catch the ball and field it to Riho. Simple, right?

Actually, it was. Our team won the three inning game, 5-2. And to make it even better, we beat the preppy girls. Ha!

Now, we had to split and she went to hockey while I walked to the track. I saw hurdles being set up. I liked it. Those were entertaining to jump over and more entertaining to watch people fall over them. We had a relay race. (I loved those!) My five girl team consisted of Kari, Yunho, Ruka, Yayoi and myself. I ran last, so I chilled until I had to get ready to run and jump.

Kari was slow as crap and we were last by the time she handed it off to Yayoi. She was faster, but that didn't take much. Yunho was a freakin' bullet compared to the two of them. Ruka nearly tripped over her own two feet as she gave me the baton. I took off and managed not to trip on the hurdles. We finished second thanks to the wings on my feet. I barely pulled in front of some girl I didn't know. She wasn't too happy. She was ranting about being the best and that no one could beat her. Whatever.

_"You've improved, but you're still pathetic."_

I looked around and I caught a glimpse of Hiei before he left.

_Gee, thanks._

The five of us walked to the locker room and changed. We didn't have that long before we had to take our last two exams. I didn't know it, but Ruka and Yunho were my upperclassmen. I overheard them talking about calculus. When the bell rang, I left and headed toward civics and foreign language. I was a little concerned about language because we hadn't covered them in depth yet. I was wondering what it would be like.

I took my seat and the test was already present. The teacher began the brief explanation when the bell rang and we were off. I finished mine rather quickly mainly because there was one section, French, that I pretty much guessed on. I think I may have made a smiley face on the multiple choice section.

I was immediately given my civics exams when my other was taken up. I started that one, and man, was it long. It seemed like it took forever to complete. I finished right as the bell rang and handed it in. I heard some students groan in discontent; they hadn't finished. I walked out of the school fast and headed toward Genkai's.

As soon as I got there, I saw Hiei and Genkai waiting.

"Slacker," she began. I knew she was talking to me, but I thought Yusuke was the slacker. "You need to get some speed on your feet. You'll train with Hiei for ten hours."

I looked at my watch. I would be at this until two thirty in the morning. Oh boy.

So the next ten hours were arduous and tiring, but I made sure I kept up at a minimum. Starting out, I was a little slower than what I would have liked, but by midnight, I was able to keep up with him. I was tired as hell, but I was trying to keep that at bay.

By the time it was two, there was a small audience that soon became very distracting. I got caught off guard and his sword met the side of my neck. It wasn't very deep, but it bled. That's when two-thirty hit. Immediately we stopped and I felt the cut on my neck.

"Well, it was going well until you started paying attention to other things," Genkai said plainly. "I'd tell you to run a few miles, but I think you'd enjoy that. Slacker over there wouldn't," she said as she pointed to Yusuke.

I saw Yukina walk over to me.

"Sit down. I can heal that wound," she said politely as she held her hands out. I complied. I didn't want to tell her it would take its own course.

Four o'clock rolled around and everyone decided that now would be a good time to go to sleep. I decided it would be a good time to shower. I forgot that I didn't bring anything to change into so I decided against it until I saw Botan with a small duffel bag.

"Here you go," she said happily, but she was obviously tired.

"Thanks." I resumed with my plan to take a shower.

It was brief. I was tired, so I didn't want to fall asleep while showering, again. I threw on pajamas and went to the same room I slept in last time. It was empty, so I decided it was safe to take. I fell to the floor and smiled. I had accomplished something I felt was great- speed. Precision was the only major thing I had to hit. After that, it was fine tuning everything and seeing how it would flow into battle. There were only six weeks or so left, so I needed to get on that assignment.

I stared at the ceiling. Saturday mornings were usually days I slept in late, yet I was still awake. My body craved sleep, but my mind, at the moment, was racing with thoughts of the future. And, at one point, a thought of the past crossed my mind. Unconsciously, I chased that particular strand of little knowledge.

I found out a little more by doing that, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to know about it. I could see my ancestral parents- they were human like, save a few qualities. My mother had flowing black hair and was slightly tan. Her eyes were black and she had the attire of a fighter and a servant combined into one; it was interesting. She had three lines under her left eye. They reminded me of a tattoo. My father had multicolored hair- black, blonde and red- and it was incredibly long (longer than my mother's hair). It may have hit the back of his knees. His eyes were a vibrant, deep blue. He had some armor surrounding his tattered rags. He had a long scar running from his shoulder to his right thumb. They both had stand-out qualities about them, but all I could see was their physical appearance. I couldn't see any power, if they had any, which I'm sure they did, and I was a little confused about them. I remember from the file that one was from the land where Mukuro reigned and one from Raizen. I was curious as to who those two were. And, more importantly, why they wanted me in demon world. Also, that Shigure guy… He works under Mukuro and he came back for me twice. The second time he took Katsuya…

_Shit!_

I jumped up and stood on my feet as I had a moment. She wanted me there. I'm not there, but Shigure killed Katsuya. Does she have Katsuya? Well, that can't be; he was pretty much butchered. Can she sew corpses up?

That was a sickening thought that crossed my mind. I didn't think something like that would ever be present, but low and behold. I opened the door to the outside and walked out. I sat on the walkway letting my legs hand over to gently brush the grass as they rocked back and forth.

I sighed. Maybe that was why he was gone? But, that was a pretty crazy idea, I mean, could that really happen?

I gave up on that thought as I saw the sun begin to rise. That much time had passed again, and it was yet another sleepless night, much to my dismay.

"My, aren't we loud this morning?"

I turned to see Kurama walk over and sit next to me.

I looked down since I turned a little pink in the face. Oops. I forgot about that. "Sorry. I over thought a few things." I still looked down for a little while.

"Maybe you need to be trained in controlling that, too?"

No more training, please!

"I think I just need to use it more and remember to not yell my thoughts."

He nodded and got up, walking back into the house. I kept staring at my surroundings. I decided to get my mind off my current chain of thoughts and go into to eat breakfast before Botan force fed me.

The day went by slow. I didn't train today. All of us just hung out. It was kind of like a calm party, until nightfall made its appearance. That's when drinks and food started coming out, and, unfortunately a karaoke machine. Genkai left for a walk. I think she just didn't want to be around a bunch of crazy people. I was surprised that Hiei was still around. I figured he would leave, too, but I didn't stay on that cloud for long. I poured myself a glass of water and just chilled on the couch. Botan and Yukina were trying to figure out how to get the karaoke machine to work. They were trying so hard that it was kind of cute how they couldn't get it together. I set my drink down and walked over to them to give them a hand. I plugged a few things in and flipped a switch- voila. It worked, and to make it better (or worse, who knows) the microphones were cordless. By then everyone was back in the room.

Honestly, Botan was a good friend. Her singing abilities, however…

"Boo!" Yusuke said in a teasing manner.

That was mean. Botan was trying, but I think she may have had one drink too many for her to be singing. Yukina wanted to sing so badly, but she didn't want to sing alone. She was waiting for someone to sing with her; she even had a song picked out. I walked into the kitched mainly because Botan and Yusuke were arguing and I was right next to it. I had to step away from it for a little bit.

When I walked back in, I was volunteered to sing with Yukina. Kuwabara had jumped on the opportunity, but it a duo for female voices, so he couldn't' sing it. I grabbed the microphone and sat back on the couch. The two drunks were done fighting for the moment. Yukina sat on the floor not far from me and placed the CD in the player.

I moved the microphone from my mouth and asked her, "What's the song?"

While it was loading, she said it was from the movie _Titanic_. She told me that she had just watched it and really liked one of the songs. That's when Botan jumped up and tried to say she liked it too, but I think she was done for the night.

"I'm not sure, I just now that it was played when I was watching it," Yukina replied after Botan finally shut up.

"It's probably _My Heart Will Go On_," I told her.

She looked happy. She made a comment about the title of the song. "Is it a very pretty song?"

"Yeah, I think so."

Finally the song was good to go. She pushed play and she pulled a piece of paper from her kimono sleeve. "Do you need the lyrics?" she asked me.

"I think I can get it without them." My plan was to let her sing out, but if I had to I would. The parts were color coordinated. She wanted to be blue, so I was red. When the lyrics were purple, we were supposed to sing together.

Red was first up, so I had to start. "Every night in my dreams, I see you, I feel you. That is how I know you go on…" I didn't pay attention to the room. I just concentrated on the color of the lyrics, and to not sing to my full potential. I wanted Yukina to have fun, not to be intimidated. "Far across the distance and spaces between us, you have come to show you go on…" The red lyrics ended and the blue ones were beginning to roll up.

I listened to her sing. She was very meek, but there was determination in there to get it right. She was going to get it even if it took her a million tries, I think. I liked that about her.

I noticed my parts were the short ones and hers were the long, more chorus like chunks. That was fine with me. It gave her more time to shine. When the song finished, Kuwabara was completely flushed. It was cute how much he liked her. I gave Kurama the microphone as I walked toward the nearest door. I wanted to be outside for the moment.

I walked into some of the brush and just stood there looking up at the night sky. It was magnificent. Its dark, blue depth with random miniature lights was breath-taking. The larger stars were mesmerizing and I kept staring into each of them, one after another. I sat on the forest brush that lay scattered on the ground and continued to be taken by the alluring, expansive nature of the heavens. I don't know how long I was lost in its wonder, but I felt arms being wrapped around my shoulder. I smelt the slightly scent of whiskey; it was Yusuke.

"Hey, drinky, what's up?" I asked him. I didn't move.

His grip tightened a little bit and he hiccoughed once. I stifled a laugh, but he noticed it. He seemed a little peeved.

"What's so funny?"

"You," I said as I turned my body to where I could see him. He was still clung to me. He leaned a little forward since he couldn't. I could help but laugh more at him. He wasn't wasted, but he was slowly getting there.

"Hey," he started but was interrupted by another hiccough, "why are you out here?"

"I should be asking you that question."

There was silence for a little bit. I decided to get him back inside and on that couch, maybe the floor… Whichever came first. I grabbed him around his waist and lifted him up, but he was a little heavier than I thought. I ended up falling backwards with him on top of me.

"Ah, Yusuke, you're heavy."

He didn't say anything. He was getting a little cozy on me. I guess I was his human pillow now. Karma.

"Come on, you can chill on the floor, but not me." I tried to get up from under him, but it didn't work out that well. I sighed, barely, and tried to think of a way to get him inside without calling someone to get him off me. I decided to push him up and quickly sit up. That we be step one. I would have to figure out step two when I successfully completed step one.

I went through with it, but it backfired. Yes, it did work, but I didn't think he would go back as far as he did. He went back, then came forward. His face hit mine and hit hurt, but before I could curse myself, I realized that our lips were slightly touching. I blushed a little. It was completely unintentional, and it may have been taken as an invite. But I didn't argue very much when he began to kiss me. It was sort of my fault to begin with.

The kisses were short, but there was some passion behind them. He proceeded to kiss my neck, but before he could plant the first one, he passed out and his body fell onto mine. I smiled and looked up at the sky. At least I could carry him in now.

I slung him over my shoulder and carried him in. My hand was placed on his lower back. I took a few steps inside and dropped him on the floor. That got everyone's attention. Kuwabara walked over.

"Hey, what happened to Urameshi?"

"He passed out." I walked to the couch and took my seat again. Yukina was still singing songs. Botan was right: she was kind and cute. I enjoyed listening to her. When she finished her song, she turned to me and asked me to sing a song. She wanted to hear me sing, no hold backs.

"And you know I can sing like that because?" I asked her, but averted my glance to Kurama. He just smiled.

"Kurama told me how well you can sing. He says it's very good. Please? Will you sing a song?" Yukina had this look in her eye where you just couldn't say no.

"Sure," I said as Kurama handed me a microphone. "What do you want me to sing?"

"That song Kurama was talking about."

I looked at him and asked, "And which song would that be Kurama?"

He still smiled as he said the song I knew he was going to mention- Love Song.

There was no music, so I had to sing it a cappella. I started when I felt like it and took it at the pace that I remembered it was supposed to be. I didn't get too loud, but I gave it enough to convince her that Kurama was not exaggerating.

"And we were both when I first saw you…"


	12. Surprises

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya. And now I own Rahvanna. In addition to Rahvanna, I own Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**A/N: Hatsune's dream is in complete italics.**

Chapter Twelve: Surprises

I went to sleep late on Saturday, so Sunday was a bit hard at first. My legs felt heavy as I put my full weight on them. I slowly drug them out into the common area. As far as I could tell, no one was there. I decided to eat a light breakfast. There I saw Kurama and Hiei sitting at the table. It looked like they were just staring, but I knew they were having a telepathic conversation. I didn't really pay attention to them- I just grabbed a bowl and when I set it down, I fell over. My legs had given out and I was pretty much prostrate on the kitchen floor. I heard a chair scoot back and I saw Kurama walk over to me. I also heard another set of feet moving, but I knew it wasn't Hiei, so I was curious. I sat up and looked behind me; I saw Yusuke.

"Are you all right?" Kurama asked as he held his hand out.

Looking forward, I grabbed the edge of the counter and used it to pull my tired body up. I also used it for support.

"Yeah, I think so," I said as I tried to get comfortable against the counter.

"You sure about that?" Yusuke asked as he pushed me lightly.

I began to fall toward Kurama, but my left hand was still clinging to the counter, so I stopped a few inches away from him. I glared at Yusuke and he grabbed the wrist that was still keeping me off the floor. I had no clue what Kurama was doing, but I wasn't entirely focused on that at the moment.

I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I felt spinning, flipping, and a sudden stop. I was on the floor, prostrate again, and Yusuke was on top of me. My glare deepened and I was about to say something when Kuwabara walked in.

"URAMESHI!" he yelled.

Yusuke turned around and I took the opportunity to 'push' him off me. He quaintly met the wall. I sat up and just sighed. That wasn't exactly how I was planning to start my morning. My glare was drilling a hole into him back as I felt myself being lifted up. I knew it was Kurama since Hiei hadn't moved from his spot.

Botan walked in and started the process of force feeding me. She grabbed the bowl I managed to get some minutes ago and put oatmeal in it. I sat on the counter and ate it. I watched her as she watched me.

Yusuke finally got up, and he was a little pissed. I didn't care. I think I was more afraid of Botan at the moment. I didn't really eat much yesterday, and I think she thought I was taking advantage of her being drunk. I still watched her as I got off the counter. I had a few spoonfuls left and I was making my way to the sink. That's when I got tackled.

My bowl went straight to Yusuke's face and I was trying to make sure I didn't swallow the spoon. I was using my elbows as a prop and his arms were in the gaps that mine made between my body. I was pissed at him now. He was making this morning extremely difficult. I pushed him off again and he rolled with the bowl still on his face. Botan handed me a napkin and I wiped the small amount of oatmeal off my pajamas.

Genkai walked in and began to yell at Yusuke. I walked to my room to change into more comfortable, loose training clothes and I headed straight outside. I sat in the grass until Genkai came out.

"Slacker in training," she said to me. I looked up at her. "You're working on precision and balance today."

Woah, where did balance come in? I'm not sure if I have any balance. This could be another long, tiring night.

The precision training didn't take as long as I thought. I had a bow and arrow to start out with. I had to shoot the bulls-eye ten times in a row. It took three tries. For the last half, I had to shoot energy bullets in the same fashion as the arrows. That was a little more difficult. That took about ten tries, mainly because Yusuke was being an ass and distracting me when I got more than seven in a row.

On to balance. I wasn't sure how I was going to go about that, but I was prepared… Sort of. Genkai led me to a stream, and there was a thin tree conveniently placed across the stream.

"Cross it," she told me.

I was a little confused, but I did as I was told. I walked across it without any problem.

"Now do it with your eyes closed."

Again, no problem and I was back to the same side that I started on.

"Finally," she began as Kurama walked out of nowhere, "do it while sparring with Kurama."

Oh snap. This was going to prove interesting. The first few tries landed me in the water. I lost track of how many times because I was concentrating on staying on the tree and blocking Kurama's moves. Eventually I got to the other side; however, I still tripped, but I didn't land in the water.

"Well, that's about all I can do," Genkai said as she looked at me. "Just make sure you don't waste this, kid." She walked away as I got up. I was a little confused, but I think that's because I thought it would take longer that what it actually did. She stopped and turned around saying a few last words. "Sasaki and Sakaki will take over." Well, that explained it anyway.

That would begin next weekend, so I got up brushed off. Kurama and I walked back to the temple and the gang was ready to celebrate. Botan has all of the alcohol set out and Yukina and Keiko were cooking in the kitchen. Botan drug me in there to help, and I had no problem with that. All of the guys stayed in the common area. I think they were watching TV.

"So, what are we going to make for dessert?" Botan asked as she pulled biscuits out from the oven.

Yukina and Keiko looked at each other and were clueless.

"I have an idea," I spoke up. "Just leave it to me." I began to look around for a few ingredients and bowls, spoons, and other essential items. They tried to help, but I didn't have a recipe on paper, so they just handled the late lunch portion. It was served while I was prepping the dessert. When I finished I set it in the freezer and I went out to join everyone.

We had fun, to say the least. All of us drank and ate as we laughed at each other. I was sitting between Kurama and Botan, so it was entertaining, so to speak. Botan got wasted again, so I was kind of her support for a while.

I remember that dessert was in the freezer, so I pushed Botan off me, so I could get to it. I walked into the kitchen and began to pull things out. Yukina came in and helped me with getting plates out and such.

"What is this?" she asked me as she picked up one of the curvy, frozen shells.

"It's a dessert that my exchange parents made a lot. I'm not sure what it is called, but it tastes amazing," I told her as I took some of the shells and set them on the plat where the open part faced up. I scooped some vanilla ice cream and dropped it into the shell. I grabbed caramel, chocolate syrup and sprinkles and coated the ice cream and shell in it. I saw Yukina trying to set it up like I did, but hers was a little sloppier. That was all right though- it was cute.

We each carried four plates and handed them out. For a while, everyone ate in peace, but Botan's current state led her to fling ice cream off her spoon and onto my face. She giggled loudly as I wiped the ice cream off my face. That started a dessert fight and before anyone knew it, we were all covered in the dessert Yukina and I plated.

I took the chunk of shell and ice cream in my hair and shoved it into Botan's face. I was playing around with her, but I think the alcohol had completely loosened her up, so she started to cry a little bit.

"I got ice cream in my eye," she whined as her tears were impeded by gooey ice cream.

I didn't mean to make her cry, but come on… She assaulted me with the ice cream first. But, it didn't matter much because she got over it pretty fast. She began to do cartwheels, which threw the residue of the food around. I stayed away from her and walked over to the rest of the group that had already moved. We sat in a circle while Botan went fanatical.

"So, who wants to play poker?" asked Yusuke.

No one objected, but Kuwabara wanted to make things more interesting. "How about strip poker?"

He received many glares, but I could tell Hiei's drilled very deep. I wondered about that…

"I'm not playing if you do that!" Keiko forcefully exclaimed.

Genkai walked in and grabbed Yukina from the circle. It was actually time for her to bathe and go to sleep anyway. Well, it was about an hour early, but I don't think too many of us figured that out.

Yusuke had a discontent look on his face. "But she's not opposed to it," he said as he pointed to me.

"That's because I know I can end up with more clothes left on than you," I told him. I was very confident in my ability to play poker. I had issued a challenge and I knew it would probably be taken.

So the guys and I played while Keiko was the dealer. I think she did that so she could slap him across the face when it came down to it.

It went slow at first. Whoever won the hand got to choose someone and that person had to remove an article of clothing. The first two hands went to Kuwabara and he chose Hiei both times to be the ultimate loser of the hands played. The next four hands went to me, and Yusuke knew he was the ultimate loser all four times. I laughed at him.

"Hey, that's not fair! Why don't you pick someone else?" he asked me as his shoes came off along with his shirt.

"There's no rule stating that I can't pick you all the time. Besides, I told you I would end up with more clothes than you."

We continued with the game and at one point I think I saw Keiko glare at me once, maybe twice. I'm not too sure why, but I think she may have liked Yusuke. I don't know. I just continued to play. I figured that at this point, ignorance was bliss.

So the game ended when Yusuke got down to his boxers and I chose him to be the ultimate loser.

"I'm not taking these off!" he yelled.

"I don't want you to," I said as I was getting up to leave. I was lucky enough to not have to remove any articles of clothing. I walked outside and sat under one of the trees that was close to the temple, but there was enough privacy to where I could enjoy myself.

I leaned against the tree as I looked up to see the many branches that stretched across the horizon. It was getting very dark, but it wasn't descending too quickly. It was nice and slow. I sighed as I relaxed and allowed my eyes to flutter for a little bit. I was getting tired again and I began to dread the walk back to Kurama's. At that moment I thought about the results of the practice midterms. I let the things wander about in my mind until I heard foot steps coming my way. They were very uncoordinated, so I didn't think Kurama or Hiei. I though it might be Yusuke again. He was still a little drunk, so it would prove interesting.

I opened my eyes to see him standing in front of me. He was clothed, thankfully, and he just stared at me.

"Yeah?" I asked him.

He sat down on my legs, which was very uncomfortable. I knew they would fall asleep in a few minutes, so it was going to be difficult to walk after this. He inched up and stopped when he reached the end of my thighs. He wrapped his legs around my hips and leaned forward as he placed his hands on the tree behind me. His breath reeked of alcohol.

"How did you learn how to play that well?"

Huh? This was something completely unexpected. I honestly didn't think he would be asking me about poker. I let confused be plastered all over my face as I answered his question.

"Uh, I learned while living in America."

I couldn't help but be curious about something, so I decided to hop into it rather than just wonder. I closed the narrow gap between us and gently kissed him. I think it may have thrown him off because he let go of the tree and leaned back a little. That was at first. I backed off until he wrapped his arms around my waist and pushed me back against the tree.

This time he kissed me. I could still smell the strong stench of whiskey on him and soon enough taste it. I didn't mind it so much since I had a shot or two of whiskey earlier. I felt one of his hands slide up my body and end at the back of my neck. It was moving strategically and smoothly in a way that made it seem like a massage. As much as I tried not to let a moan out, it happened right before I took a quick breath.

I could feel him smile as he continued to probe around my mouth. I giggled inside my mind as I moved my hands up to his hair. I messed around with it for a little. I decided that it was time to change things.

I pushed him forward and shifted to the left, so that he would be on the ground. My one hand was on his shoulder and the other was on his hip. His legs were still wrapped around me somehow. I still felt his hands moving about until one stopped on my left breast. I groaned in dissatisfaction, but I don't think he cared about that since he took his sweet time with groping me. His other hand rested on the small of my back.

"Yusuke? Hatsune? Where are you guys?" yelled a male tone. I figured it was Kuwabara since it really didn't sound like Kurama, and I knew better to think that it was Hiei at this point. I pulled away from Yusuke, but he kept his arms around me.

"Come on," I said. "Someone is looking for the both of us."

He let out a sound of discontent and loosened his grip on me. He sat up as I got off him and looked around. As he stood he looked around, also. We couldn't see anyone for the moment, so we decided to slowly walk out of the wooded area.

"So," he began, "what's your cup size?"

He just finished groping me and he can't figure that out? "You can't be serious…"

He looked at me oddly. "Seriously, what is it? B? C?"

"You JUST finished groping me and you don't know?" I was in a slight hysteria mainly because I was trying to figure out how he didn't figure it out. I calmed down when we ran into Kuwabara.

"What were you guys doing out there?" he asked us. There was a hidden meaning behind those seemingly innocent words.

Yusuke glared at him as I spoke up. "We had hot sex."

Both of them froze and looked at me in complete shock. I didn't think it would be taken that seriously considering I said it with a straight face. There was also a look of minor annoyance in my face as well, but I think the carrot-top missed it.

"Urameshi! Keiko is your girlfriend and you're doing other girls? How could you?" Kuwabara yelled at the top of his lungs. He lunged forward to punch him in the face, but he missed. Both of them began to fight as everyone else came outside to see what was going on.

Botan and Kurama were the first at the scene of animosity.

"Oh my, what happened?" she asked me.

"Kuwabara's stupidity took a joke way too seriously and is trying to kill Yusuke, I guess."

"What was the joke?"

I shook my head. "Don't worry about it." Honestly, if she couldn't hear the words clear as day inside the temple, then she didn't need to worry. I figured Kurama did hear them considering he didn't ask many questions.

Eventually Yusuke, still a little buzzed, kicked Kuwabara's ass.

"That's for thinking we did something, dumbass!"

Botan had this sheepish; well I guess it's more cat-like, grin on her face as she looked at me. "So…"

"Nothing happened, damn it."

Everyone else who was awake or was woken by Kuwabara's scream stayed near the door. Genkai stepped forward and proceeded to slap Yusuke and Kuwabara for making so much noise. And just to make Kuwabara feel bad, she told him he woke Yukina from her slumber. (It wasn't true, but it worked.) She walked back in and gave everyone a look as she passed them by.

Keiko walked up to Yusuke and initiated her slapping session. We left as she carried on her seemingly excruciating attack. We figured out when she was done; there was no more echoing. Seeing her walk back in made me look in another direction. I wasn't sure what she was thinking, but I do remember the glare she shot me earlier, so I didn't think I was on the best of terms with her. She did seem very hot-headed…

The two beaten souls helped each other in and fell to the floor after closing the doors. It was about ten or so when they crawled over to the remaining and aware beings.

Both of them grumbled as they sat up.

"That wasn't a funny joke," Kuwabara told me.

"Not my fault you fell for it and took it out of proportion."

Hiei said his usual response, and that seemed to piss Kuwabara off. Kurama advised him to quiet down before Genkai came back out and issued another beating. He calmed down because it reminded him of what she told him earlier.

"Fine…" He sat there and pouted as he crossed him arms around him.

"Fox," Hiei finally spoke aloud, "don't you have to go to that ningen school in the morning?"

Kuwabara and Kurama had this 'oh' expression on their faces. Yusuke didn't care and I was neutral about it until Kurama had mentioned scores for the practice midterm.

I got up to gather my crap and we left the temple. We took a portal back to his house. I was extremely elated about that; I didn't want to walk all the way home. I was tired after all of the training and parties over the weekend. And, I knew the training was going to become mentally stressing, so sleep would be a missed best friend in the weeks to come.

We walked into his backyard and he stuck his head in the door. No one was there (in the living room), so we walked in quietly. Neither one of us wanted to wake his mother. Some odd steps into the kitchen, he found a note from his mother.

"You don't have to worry about being quiet; she is not here," he said.

I was puzzled. It was dark and yet he knew something I wasn't aware of. "And you know this how?"

A light came on and he showed me the note. "Oh…"

Setting it down, he walked over to the dining table and took a seat. He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. I figured he was contemplating something so I would leave him be. I went upstairs and set my stuff in my bedroom. I needed to do laundry. I would probably get around to that after the job tomorrow. I set out pajamas and my uniform on my bed. I sat on the floor and did some of my own thinking.

I knew Sasaki was supposed to train me in mental endurance and Sakaki was supposed to train me in masking my thoughts from everyone, including telepaths. There were a few other things, but those were the main ones, so I was interested, but at the same time I was a little apprehensive. I had never gone through anything of that caliber. I mean, fighting came a little more naturally because of the time I spent in Philadelphia. I had to learn a little bit of street fighting just incase. I rarely used it, but it was still nice to know, I guess.

Enough with draining what little energy I had left on thinking- I grabbed my clothes and headed to the bathroom. I needed a good shower. As I finished, I heard a knock on the door. I grabbed the robe and threw it on; I didn't even tie it.

"It's unlocked," I said as I was draining the excess water from my hair.

The door opened, but no one was there. I blinked a few times to make sure I was seeing nothing, and oddly enough I saw nothing. I took a few steps out and looked to both sides of the door. I tied the robe as I walked out. I was curious now.

I walked downstairs and all the lights were off. I turned a few on and walked around. I check to see if the doors were locked to. Everything was the way it was supposed to be downstairs. I turned everything off and headed upstairs in the dark. I bumped into something that ended up clinging to me. I shrieked and tried to take a step back, but it didn't work. I was locked in pretty tight.

The hallway light came on and Kurama came out of his room as he looked around. I was mildly frantic as I tried to guess what was going on. He looked at me with a concerned and puzzled face. I glanced back with fright and loss in my eyes. I wasn't sure what was happening, but whatever it was, it seriously freaked me out.

"What happened?" he asked me.

"Did you knock on the bathroom door a few minutes ago?" I wanted to eliminate him pulling a prank.

"No." He sounded serious, but I wasn't too sure.

I told him the two strange occurrences and he seemed a little disturbed. He wasn't too sure, but he would ask Koenma about it tomorrow after school. He kept staring at me, I did notice that. I was wondering what was so interesting about my face. I touched it; there weren't any cuts or anything like that, well, anything I could feel.

"There are marks below your left eye," he stated as he took my hand and let me to the mirror in the bathroom.

He was right. There was one purple line about an inch below my eye. I poked at it a little bit. I had no clue what it was, but I wanted to know.

"What is it, Kurama?"

He said nothing. He tugged at my robe and loosened it up enough to look at my shoulders and clavicle area. He continued on as he looked at my arms.

"What are you doing?"

He looked at my stomach and back. He stopped and was still a bewildered, but there was something about that look that made it seem like he had a general idea. He checked my pulse, and sure enough there was a faint one.

"Raise your heart beat."

Uh, okay… I was told to not do that, and now I'm being told to do that. I just did it without question, but with some hesitation. Another mark appeared and right below the first one. I let it go up again and a third erupted below the second. It continued to rise, but no more came up. However, the color of the purple began to deepen until it was almost black. My heart was racing at an incredible speed at that point. I felt a little dizzy and I started letting up on it.

When it reached next to nothing, I leaned against the sink for a little support. That indeed drained a lot of my remaining, dwindling energy. I sighed heavily and let my head fall back toward the mirror as I looked at the ceiling. I loosened my grip on the sink since my robe started slipping. I tugged it back to its original place and tightened the cloth around my waist. I knew Kurama still had my wrist, but I didn't recognize his other hand on my neck.

I pushed myself off the sink only to end up on the bathroom floor. I squeaked out my disapproval of my idiotic move as I looked up at Kurama. He just smiled as he held out his hand. I gladly accepted it and found myself on my own two feet. I walked out first and he closed the door on the way out. I stepped aside so he could be out of the door way.

"Sleep well," he said as he leaned down to kiss my forehead.

Before he could fully resume his normal posture, I leaned in to kiss him on his cheek.

"Thanks. I will." I walked to my room and closed the door, but I didn't lock it. I walked over to my bed and pushed the uniform aside. I crawled into bed and grabbed one of the sheets. I wrapped myself in it and hugged one of the nearby pillows as I allowed myself to drift into sleep.

_I had no clue where I was, but I saw a glowing tube that contained bits and pieces of human parts. The head and legs were complete, but the trunk and arms were still a little empty. I stared at it; there was a familiar feeling about the deconstructed corpse. There were so many things attached to it, and there was a mask in front of the most. The floating male's eyes were closed, but the hair color and facial structure reminded me of Katsuya. But, the thing in the bulky tube had a very mature appearance compared to a mere child._

_I walked over to the massive object and I touched the glass casing. It was extremely cold. I looked around and saw pretty much nothing for it was extremely dark. The only source of light was what emanated from the tube. I looked back at the body and saw the arms fully assembled. I was stunned. Not but a few minutes ago they appeared tattered and incomplete. I was truly amazed and fearful of this thing._

_I heard gently footsteps and I turned in the direction they stemmed from. I saw no one, but I did see something shine. I think it may have been a weapon. It came into view, not entirely, but enough for me to recognize that it was the same boomerang sword from that one guy. _

_I deduced that I was in Mukuro's territory. I had to get the hell out of here before I was sliced up and placed in a tube…_

_Wait a minute._

I jolted out of bed and was breathing very hard. I could hear how hard my heart was beating. I was worried about what had just occurred. Something hit the window lightly a few times, which cause me to jump out of my skin. Ignoring the clock, I moved the curtains from the window to see Hiei in the nearby tree. I let out a sigh of relief as I opened the window.

"Keep it down," he said harshly. "You're being too loud."

I knew what he meant. Honestly I couldn't help it at the moment. I wasn't exactly sure what was going on. I looked at him with weary and agitated eyes. He just glared back. I gave up and closed the window. I walked out of my room, but I only made it a few steps before I ran into something sharp. Well, I guess that should be restated; ran through something sharp.

Whatever it was, I gave it no time to explain anything. I destroyed it. Chunks of it landed on the floor around me and I stood as I heard Kurama's door open.

Again, the lights flooded the hallway, but this time they revealed something new: chunks of demon and a sword through my abdomen. I noticed a small note, and I grabbed it. Unfolding it, I read it to myself and was immediately pissed.

"The bitch," I stated plainly.

"Who?" Kurama asked as he walked over and pulled the sword from my torso.

It hurt like a mother, I'll tell you that much. I let a few expletives slide from my mouth as he cleaned up the wounds and bandaged them. As he did that, I explained the note and Rahvanna's weird obsession on sending the most random shit my way.

He nodded as he finished. I quickly looked at my clock; it was five. I moaned as I walked back into my room to change into the uniform and fix the mess atop my head. By the time five thirty rolled around, I was downstairs. I put bread in the toaster and sat on the counter while I put my socks on.

Kurama came down. His hair was still a little damp, but it looked good. When I finished the toast came up and I grabbed a piece before hopping down. He grabbed the other. We had the usual silence in the morning before heading off to school together. It proved to be interesting. We talked about the most random things, then he brought up the scores for the test.

"So, how do you think you did?"

I thought about it before I answered it. "I'm not too sure, but I think I owned English. I bet I got a higher score than you."

He looked at me in a way that was different from all the other times. "You really think so?" he asked me in a very silky voice.

Oh, that was a nice voice. I could listen to it all day long. Too bad that wasn't his normal voice. "Yeah, I really think so."

"How sure are you?"

I thought about something drastic to prove I was a hundred percent confident with a side of cocky.

"I'm so sure I scored higher than you- enough to say I would have awkward yet passionate sex with you."

Oh yeah, that reeked confidence and cockiness all at one. It also had a twist of additional silence. He didn't reply to that. He was a little flush, but when we got to the gate, he finally responded.

"That exudes conviction."

I just smiled at the comment.

We walked into our first room and noticed six sheets of paper on our desks. Quicky we grabbed them and rushed through to find the English results. We ignored the teacher who happened to be writing the top ten in each category on the board. We were the only ones in the room at the moment.

I pulled out mine and I had one written across the top and circled. Below it was the actual score: 382/400.

"Oh yeah!" I held it up in front of him.

His had a two circled and 380 on it. I think he was a little relieved that I had beaten him. I don't know that he would have wanted awkward yet passionate sex tonight. Who knows…

Kuraiya strolled in and ran to his tests. He grabbed them and hopped over desks to get to Kurama and I. He almost tripped over Rahvanna's, but luckily, he caught himself. He looked at his English score.

"I got a 380!" he yelled. He did a little dance in a circle.

We compared the rest of our scores. My science was pathetic, mainly due to the physics section. I got 27th on it. Kurama naturally owned everything else. I got first in English, 27th in science, 9th in civics, 13rd in foreign language, and 6th in math. My overall was 10th; that was not bad at all.

My happy parade ended as Rahvanna walked in. She looked at her scores and I happened to notice them. Her English was first, too. That made me a little sad; I couldn't beat her. Her science towered over mine- 14th, math was 10th, civics was 20th, foreign language was 4th, and overall was 8th.

She turned to me and asked, "How did you do?" She was very sincere in her question, or so it seemed anyway.

"Well…"

She smiled. Before she sat, she inquired me once more. "Did you like your late night and early morning surprise?"

I had forgotten about that. Her mentioning it infuriated me, but Kurama placed a hand on my head.

"_Remember your heart beat._"

I instantaneously calmed down and shot her a glare.

The bell rang and everyone filed into the room. They proceeded to view their scores and shared it with a few others. When the teacher was done, she got everyone's attention and announced the top ten.

Of course Kurama dominated in every category, save English. That shocked the fangirls and Rahvanna and I were their new targets. I would take them, but I had to watch my heart beat. I got dirty looks from them all day long and it was worse when the administration posted it on the bulletin board for the entire freakin' school to see. I was going to have to be jumping through a load of shit today.

Luckily there was some kind of assembly today, so we filed out of the room. I stayed close to Kurama and Kuraiya stayed close to me. Rahvanna followed Kuraiya's suit. That annoyed me. I think she was purposely pissing me off.

Somehow the entire 2-X class fit into the gym. We sat as some guy I didn't recognize grabbed the microphone and began to talk to us about self-defense. He was throwing statistics out there, but I wasn't listening.

"I need two volunteers to come down; anyone interested?"

I saw that preppy girl point to her boyfriend and her entire posse began to cheer him on. I heard the name Daimon being screamed out. So, I finally know the idiot's name. Good to know…

"Okay, sir, please come down. And, I need one more volunteer." The man looked around, but I heard that preppy girl yell something that I was and wasn't expecting.

"What about her?' she said as she pointed to Rahvanna. In all honesty, I thought she would want me up there with him.

"Yes, will you participate?" he asked her.

Rahvanna shook her head and replied, "No."

Then, that girl targeted me. I was miserable. I declined, but Kuraiya pushed me forward. We sat on the front row… How convenient.

"Thank you for volunteering!"

I turned to burn a hole in Kuraiya's head. I was super pissed at him right now.

"Kuraiya, I hate you," I mumbled as I walked over to the guy and the ugly oaf.

He was telling us that we needed to learn to defend ourselves against an oncoming assailant. I could do this without having to stand up in front of the entire second year class.

He explained a few things and names the moron the assailant. I sure as hell wasn't about to play the prissy damsel in distress. I planned to kick his ass with minimal effort. He ran forward and I just watched, bored. I moved to the left and he ran past me. I turned and moved to the right; he did it again. I was getting bored and he was getting more pissed. I didn't care. I wanted to get out of this damn demonstration. I could hear his girlfriend's loud mouth. Seriously, I thought about tripping the bastard and taking my seat. I wanted no part in this. He charged again and this time I tripped him. He landed flat on his face and I walked back to the pull-outs to take my seat.

"What was that about?" Kuraiya asked.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him as I looked at him.

That idiot walked up to me and I could hear him breathing. I looked up.

"What are you doing?" I asked the idiot.

He said nothing as he lifted me up and threw me. I hit the floor and rolled a little bit. I was super pissed and I could feel my heart beat getting quicker. I slammed my hand down on the floor, and he tripped over a dent in the floor. I was hoping for something bigger, but that would do for now. He didn't twist his ankle like I had hoped, but it gave me enough time to get up and adjust.

He jumped up and ran toward me. I guess I could punch him now, but the guy in the background was screaming something about moving. I ignored him as a bunch of administration was running around trying to get a hold of the police. I did a few flips and running around before I had the opportunity to punch him in the right spot- right in the face. He stumbled back and there was a nice red mark on his face. That made me so happy.

I don't know why continued, but he did. I guess I was going to have to use real force. I kept dodging the punches he threw and when he leaned a little too far forward, I took the opportunity to kick him, but I added a little something special to the kick. Let's just say it was hot.

He landed some odd feet away, and I didn't think he would be getting up. Again, I resumed my seat and that crazy ass girl made her way over to me. In her attempt to slap me, she was pushed back. Kuraiya was pretty pissed at this point. I noticed something new about it too- his eyes seemed to be a little cloudy, like he was blinded by fury, so to speak.

"You don't push me!" she yelled. She tried to slap him, but he blocked it and pushed her farther back.

"_Was this the girl you wanted to knock out?_"

I looked at him and nodded. I also added a shrug in there. I wasn't sure why, but I thought it was necessary.

I saw her walk right in front of Kurama and I. She was glaring at me and smiling at him.

"Shuichi, why do you talk to American trash like her?"

"Motoko," he started, but was hushed by her crazed voice.

"Seriously, you can do better than her. Don't associate yourself with the second class. They don't deserve your pity." She gave me a dirty look. "Stay away from him, bitch."

You know, I was tired of hearing that already. Twice in a semester I've been told that and called a bitch.

"You can't make him happy," she told me.

"At least I don't make him want to kill himself like you do."

The entire room went silent. Yeah, I just dished out an insult to the Queen bitch of the school.

"What did you say to me, b-i-t-c-h?"

It was on now. I grabbed the tied cloth around her neck and brought her close to my face, very very close. So close it was uncomfortable. I punched her in the stomach and dropped her to allow her to squirm about the floor.

"Let me make myself clear, bitch," I said with great emphasis on the last word. "Do NOT assume to know me, my life, or my interests. I will kick your and your boyfriend's pathetic asses. Do you understand or do I have to dumb it down for your sorry excuse of brain matter?"

She stood up very shakily, like if I touched her she might break. She continued her 'piercing' glare as she walked over to her sorry boyfriend. That's when all administration and police walked in. Every except her crew said that they incited all the fighting. In order to make that somewhat believable, Kurama quickly added a few bruises and small cuts to my hands and forearm. Thorns apparently came in handy after all.

I showed them to the people that inquired me, and I was released. They decided after all of the animosity that had occurred they would release school early today. I walked with Kurama out of school and told him that I was going to try to work early, so I could get home early.

"Be careful," he said to me as he dropped me off at the drug store. "Those girls are probably going to come after you. Make sure you do not kill them."

I just smiled. "I'll do my best."

I walked in and began my shift early.

At five, I was released from my day's work and given my check. Another $200 in the bank account- yea! I stuffed it into my school bag and walked quickly to Kurama's, but he was right; those girls would be seeking me out. I ran into Motoko. She was still bruised up from earlier. I was only three blocks from Kurama's so I might have a chance to run there, but if she found out that I resided there, then that could get problematic.

"We're going to settle this now!" she yelled as she made a fist and hit her other hand with it.

"I don't have time for you," I said unenthusiastically. "Why are you so bothered by me?"

"You have no right to be near Shuichi. You're contaminating him."

"Excuse you?" I looked at her with the same who-the-hell-do-you-think-you-are look. "It's my prerogative as to who I hang out with. I happen to enjoy his company. Stay the hell out of my business."

"He sees nothing in you."

"I should be saying that to you considering the only time I've seen him talk to you was today."

Oh, did that ever infuriate her. She ran toward me and tripped over a frickin' crack in the sidewalk. Her knee was pretty scrapped and it bled moderately. I just walked past her and continued. I didn't want to see her face for the rest of the day.

I didn't care that she was following me. She was slow, so I knew that she wouldn't catch up in time for her to see me walk into Kurama's house. I got in and shut the door quickly. I walked upstairs and set my bag down and kicked off my shoes. I walked back down and entered the living room. I saw him sitting on the loveseat reading something. He set the book down and put the book mark in between the pages.

"How was the afternoon?"

"All right until I ran into Motoko." I rolled my eyes as I said her name.

Both of us heard a knock at the door. He got up to see who it was. Motoko stood in front of the open door. She looked like hell, but I decided to stay out of sight.

"Yes?" Kurama asked her.

"Shuichi, I have to talk to you about that poison thing that is always near you, please," she pleaded with him.

I seriously thought about walking about and just blowing up her bubble, but again, I thought of what could happen, so I stayed put.

"Motoko, I seriously think you are just blowing things out of proportion. She is not poison, I can guarantee that. Do not worry about me. I can care for myself."

I could hear her whine and beg with him, but I also heard him constantly decline the offer of small talk. I don't know how he managed to get her to leave, but the last thing I heard her say was something about a date.

"Skank," I mumbled. She had a boyfriend already and she was hitting on Kurama. What the hell? She was a weird bitch.

I stretched out on the couch and laid my head on the rest at the end. Kurama walked in, but I didn't acknowledge it in an obvious manner. I felt myself being moved a little bit. I guess he wanted to sit on the couch, too. Well, I was sort of right; he lay behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I was too lazy to face him, so I just mumbled a few questions. I knew he would be able to hear them.

He smiled and laughed lightly. He responded to all of them and rested his head on top of mine. I half-groaned and half-laughed at the action. I was way too tired. There was too much 'excitement' for one day.

I slowly rolled over to face him and I let my forehead fall his shoulder. That slightly disturbed his resting position, but he still had the rest. I felt one of his arms slide up my back; it stopped and I felt my hair moving.

"What are you doing?" I asked him. I ended up talking to his neck basically.

"Playing with your hair, silly."

"Are you cold?" I asked him. There were some goose bumps on his neck.

"No," he said as he stopped playing with my hair. "Maybe if you weren't breathing on my neck I wouldn't have goose bumps."

I leaned my head back onto the side of the arm rest and looked up at him. He adjusted his head to look down in my general direction.

"You still have them and I'm not breathing down your neck." I looked at him with the 'you want to explain' look. He just stared back.

I'm not sure what made me do this, but I leaned closer as I pulled him closer to me. I left just enough room between our faces so we weren't kissing. I still had that look. I was waiting for an answer and I was staring him right in the face for it.

He didn't answer me.

"_Why aren't you answering me?"_

"_I'm currently entertaining another thought."_

"_Really? What is it?"_

"_Nothing, really."_

"_Well, if it's nothing, then you shouldn't have a problem sharing it, right?"_

He just looked at me with a little bit of surprise and a lot of curiosity. He raised one eyebrow at me and I just blinked. I had an inkling of what it might be, but I wasn't going to jump straight into it.

Once more he took the initiative to get closer. He stopped barely short. Our lips could brush against each other scarcely. It was awkward because we just stared at each other. I could tell something was on his mind, but I wasn't precisely sure what it was.

"We are not going to have awkward, passionate sex after thing, right?" he asked me teasingly.

I was about to make a smart remark, but his lips against mine made it hard to do so. I just let it go. I was enthralled with the current situation at the moment. I felt a hand on the side of my neck and the other on my ribcage. I just wrapped my arms around his waist so I could mess with his hair.

I felt his lips slowly part and his tongue was playing with my lower lip for the moment. I welcomed his advancement without second thought and, as my mouth opened leisurely, a small, nearly inaudible moan crept out. I guess that was a cue to deepen the kiss 'cause it happened.

I felt one of his hands slide down to my thigh. It rested there for a little, then it began to massage my leg. It felt so nice, relaxing. I was a little surprised by it, but I wasn't going to complain.

Everything randomly stopped. I got a chance to breath, but I was a little taken back by the sudden cease of all action. He leaned very close to my ear and pushed my body forward to press against his. I felt his heart beating; that's how hard I was pressed against him.

"So," he began.

_Oh my, what is going on?_

"Who kisses better: Yusuke or I?"


	13. Pain and Torture Coincide

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Thirteen: Pain and Torture Coincide

I spent the entire week at school dodging rabid fan girls, challenging Rahvanna in PE, avoiding Riho's twenty questions every time she saw me, thinking about Kurama's question… I spent the most time on the last. Honestly, I don't think I could have answered that in full truth. The times with him were genuinely sober and out of curiosity. The times with Yusuke were a bit different. I mean, it was part of a cover up or he was buzzed, so I couldn't answer his question.

I hung out with Kuraiya a lot during that week. His eyes were very intriguing to me. Never once were they blurry when he was infuriated. My peak in curiosity led to me not only hang out with him more, but to see if he knew anything about them.

That was an epic fail, though; he knew nothing. That's no surprise. Being oblivious to some things is his specialty at times. Eventually he'll figure it out- if not, there will be a rude awakening.

I was waiting for the weekend to come around. I wanted to start training with Sasaki and Sakaki. I knew the training basics with Genkai were going to be cake compared to reshaping my mind and controlling it. Even though I expected it to be extremely difficult, I looked forward to it. I had worked a lot during, which made time go by and there wasn't a lot of homework, so it balanced out well. Every other day, Hiei would randomly attack me to make sure I was staying aware. I got cut once, but that was my own fault- I slipped on a banana peel. Kurama and I didn't spend that much time together, but I was purposefully doing that so I could avoid answering his question. I wouldn't know what to say if he brought it up again.

During Italian on Friday, the class had to work in groups of threes in order to get the poster completed by the end of the class. My two partners, Naneya and Megumi, were diligently working on the history and modern day aspects while I was prepping the poster for design and grabbing our necessary items for decoration purposes. I began cutting out letters and stripes, for use as borders. I chose to only use red and green for they are two of the colors on the flag- the poster board was already white, so I didn't bother with it. The background of the poster was the flag itself. I thought that was freakin' nifty!

"Katsuragi," Naneya called out from the computer. Honestly, that boy didn't understand that it was okay to call me Hatsune.

"Yeah, Naneya," I replied to his call as way of saying I heard his initial beginning.

"Do you want the flag printed out?"

I looked at the board in amusement. "All ready taken care of."

He glanced over and saw that the poster board had indeed been transformed into the Italian flag.

"Kawano, look at Katsuragi's creation! It's amazing!"

I looked at the floor and away from all the other students. Naneya had yelled out his comment and one of the fan girls was burning holes into me. I heard her say a few things, and I thought about telling her off, but I just kept my mouth shut before I got a warning from Kurama. He was in that girl's group, so as long as she didn't cross borders, then she would be fine.

Naneya and Megumi walked back with their printed materials and we set everything on top of the table. They cut out their basic shape and we began to place every thing on the board. I looked around for the glue stick, but I couldn't find it.

"Have either one of you seen the glue stick?"

The both shook their heads and began looking for it.

"Ow!" exclaimed Megumi as she quickly placed a hand on her forehead. I glue stick was at her feet.

"Oops, sorry," said the vengeful fan girl. "I forgot to warn you."

I paid more attention to Megumi that I did her. She wasn't worth it and in twenty minutes, I would be free to go to Sasaki and Sakaki's dojo-styled house. Megumi wasn't hurt. I think it was more the initial impact. I mean the tube wasn't a little one- it was mega-sized!

I could hear her throwing insults my way and Naneya was getting mad, but he was way to proper to say anything insulting, so when I was done tending to Megumi, I would be exchanging words with the moron in the corner. Well, that was after I finished with the project at hand. We placed everything where we wanted it to be, and glued it. We waited before flinging the poster around (just to make sure it would stick). Naneya volunteered to turn it in, and we had a little over five minutes to spare. Megumi and I cleaned up. That's when I shot that girl a dirty look.

Apparently, that was a mistake. My lack of school knowledge finally bit me in the butt. Her best friend who happened to dual as her bodyguard, so to speak, walloped me on the back of my head with her fist. That ticked me off, let me tell you.

"You don't look at Mika-sama like that," she said coldly.

_Mika-sama? Really? Someone needs to kick her off her high horse._

I turned and glared at the amazon who hit me. And, no joke, she was a bit amazonish. I didn't back down, but I didn't start to even humor the idea of taking her down. I just kept telling myself that she wasn't worth it.

"Oh, what's the matter? Can't handle a fight with Asahina-san?" Mika said in a very taunting manner.

I wanted to take both of them down so badly. It just wasn't a good week, and they weren't making it any better. I casually walked away from both of them and grabbed my stuff. No sooner than I picked up my bag the bell rang and that's when I bolted for the front doors. Though, I had a bit of trouble with getting out.

Mika's entire crew was stalking me, and that freaked me out. They barricaded the doors, so I had to stop and fight or listen to a crappy proposal. I waited until their 'goddess' graced us with her presence.

"You fight my bodyguard or we take you down right here, right now."

Not much of a negotiator, I take it. I shrugged as I sighed. "Yeah, why not. But, we do this outside, away from people, in an alley way."

That sparked some interest in her eyes because she smirked. "Fine. Terms accepted. Now, follow me."

I let her lead the way out before taking off with her brigade. I knew I was going to be late to training, and I knew there was going to be a heavy punishment for this. We went to a nearby alleyway and stepped in. Her guard doesn't like to play fair- she picked me up and threw me into the wall. (My little, twig self wasn't that had to throw around.) She charged and I held back all of my energy. I had to do this without any aid for numerous reasons, some way more important than others. We exchanged a few punches; I landed more on her, but she was a big girl, so I had to fight a little longer than what I originally thought.

Some odd minutes later, she fell from my last punch. I must admit, that I did put a little spirit energy behind it, but that was only to shorten the length of the fight. It had gone on long enough, and I would know down to the second how long because one of Mika's subordinates was keeping time on a stopwatch.

"Mika, it took her ten minutes… It's two records in one!" she excitedly whispered.

I could tell Mika was pissed. She had this weird curl in her lip, but I didn't care. I had to be somewhere and fast.

"We're not done," she snarled.

"Oh, yes, we are done." I ran past her and her diminishing crowd. I bolted toward the other side of town where the forest would begin to run thick.

Upon arriving at the house of the twins, I was struck with a terrible headache. It was nauseating. I had to make it up another set of stairs to get to the separate chambers of the training rooms.

I was greeted with two wallops on the head. No surprise; I was ten minutes late. Curse Mika and her group of morons.

"You're late," greeted Sasaki, clad in blue and yellow.

"I'm aware. I have no excuse."

Sakaki eyed me strangely, but let it go as she led me to the room where I could start training my mind. It was caliginous and stale, yet something horrid lingered in the air. I couldn't figure it out, but whatever it was didn't settle well with me. I think I may have gotten myself in over my head.

"You'll be in this room until Sunday afternoon. We'll randomly test your skill in protecting your mind along with how long you can withstand an oncoming invasion," Sakaki stated plainly.

I eyed the room even harder. I was determined to figure out what was in there before I set foot in there.

"Any restrictions?" I asked her.

"Other than not blowing anything up and leaving the room, none."

She nudged me in, and I looked back only to see the end of her red and purple dress vanish as she shut the door and locked it.

I sat away from the door and looked around in vain. I still felt that uncomforting unknown in the room. I pondered for a bit until I felt another onset of headaches. They started out dull and short and stretched into something nearly fatal. I figured these were the mental attacks they were talking about, but they were fierce. I didn't think it would be of this magnitude. I had to hold back a few screams of suffering as I held my head and leaned forward. I was half tempted to beat it against the icy, cement floor, but I went against it. I don't know many others that would be able to take this suffering and not want to instantaneously contemplate suicide.

This was a little depressing when I thought about it. It was only the first hour and I was already thinking about getting out of the situation. I had a reprieve some minutes later- that's when my entire body fell to the somewhat damp, frigid floor. I was getting tired already.

"That… was… vicious," I said to myself slowly.

_"It's only going to get worse…"_

Another slew of bullets, so to speak, hit my mind. I writhed in agony from the assault, but I made sure I wouldn't screech. No matter what, I made it my goal to not call out in any way shape or form.

This was going to be a long weekend.

I wasn't sure what day or time it was, but I really couldn't take much more of this. I had a few flare ups in energy, just to try to shield myself, but those failed miserably. I had managed to diminish the effects of the blows, but I had yet to figure out how to block them. I rolled around just to keep myself awake. The one time I fell asleep, I was plagued with horrible thoughts. I swore I thought I had seen people killing themselves in this room. It sure smelled like it…

Sunlight inundated the chamber of misery as the door squeaked open. Still on the floor, I didn't look at the door immediately. I heard a few steps, and I sat up, trying to prepare myself for something I sought since Friday- light.

The steps stopped and I looked up with squinted eyes. It was someone I truly didn't expect.

"Yo."

I saw the pacifier and 'cool' clothes, so I knew it was Koenma. (The signature greetin aside, of course.) I stood up regardless of the light-headed feeling.

"You look haggard."

"Thanks," I mumbled as I followed him out. My eyes beheld the light that greeted them thoroughly. I had to close them for a few seconds before allotting them more time to get reacquainted with a familiar friend. We walked down a set of stairs and entered into the living area. There I saw Sasaki and Sakaki. He took a seat near them as I chose to stand. I knew I was a bit unclean, so I figured don't dirty things up, if at all possible.

They gave me my first assessment in front of Koenma. He didn't think it was that bad for a first session, but I really thought I could have done much better than that.

"You weren't horrible. You at least came out alive," stated Sakaki as she took a sip of her tea.

"What?" I asked her.

"Your 'dream' was true. There are corpses in that room. And, I thank you for not sitting down. Your clothes are covered in bodily fluids."

_Oh my… EW!_

"Before you clean up," Sasaki said, which happened to interrupt my thought, "you have to fight. We want to see how well you do when mentally exhausted."

"Okay. So, who do I fight?" I wanted that shower badly… SO BADLY.

"Who do you think?" Koenma asked me in a matter-of-fact, yet mocking tone.

I mean, I knew it would be one of the guys, but I wanted to know which one. I figured I wouldn't win, no matter who it was, just because I was completely out-of-it. I waited for someone to show up, and it didn't take that long- not to my surprise. I saw both Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"I have to fight both of them?" I asked in hysteria as I looked at my trainers.

"Nah, just little ol' me," said Yusuke with a big grin on his face as he pointed to himself.

_Ah geez…_

"Dang, you look tired. You sure you're going to last?" asked Kuwabara.

"No…" I mumbled.

"You may fight right here," said Sasaki.

I was about to ask her a question, but I guess her command was cue to start since I got punched. I didn't move- I don't think, but I don't remember anything after that.

Some time later, I woke up clean, clothed and in a bed- a familiar bed. I glanced at the window; the sun had already set. I rolled out of bed, not realizing that I was very sore. The floor became my support for a moment as I crawled over to the wall for some support in order to get back up.

I started to speculate about how I got here, back to Kurama's. I limped down the stairs and into the kitchen. I saw three familiar faces look toward me with curious and worried expressions.

"What?" I asked them.

"You're walking! You're not suppose to do that yet," exclaimed Kuwabara.

I just stared at him blankly. I wasn't exactly sure why he was saying that, but it didn't sound intelligent for the moment. Of course I was supposed to be able to walk- I'm not a new born.

I took a seat considering I didn't have an option not to take one. My legs were getting very heavy and numb. I leaned back in the seat and inquired about the day's events since I couldn't remember all of them. I shouldn't have. It ended up being a little more embarrassing than what I thought.

"Whatever," I whispered. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, against the top of the chair. I felt poking at my sore side and my eyes darted open and stared the source down.

"What the hell?" I asked exasperated. First he knocked me out, now he annoys the hell out of my body.

"Someone's a little pissy. On the rag today?" asked Yusuke with a frown on his face.

I was about to punch him when Kuwabara thumped him on his head. "Urameshi!" he yelled. "Be nice!"

They engaged in a verbal altercation for a few minutes. Kurama shook his head as he left the room for a while. I just chilled while the two went at it. I entertained the idea of chuckling, but I think it would hurt me in the long run. I silently watched them fight.

When they left the residence, it was peaceful. I enjoyed that greatly. The door opened, and I saw Hiei walk into the kitchen. I didn't pay too much attention to him until he spoke.

"You look like hell."

"Thank you."

He looked around. I guess he was looking for Kurama, but I'm not too sure. I just waited for him to say something else or leave.

Kurama walked in, and he was a little surprised to see the short one. I didn't bother paying any attention to them as I leaned my head down and rested it on the table. I should have probably headed back to the bedroom to sleep, but my legs were protesting that idea.

I heard them talking about something, but they soon silenced themselves. Since they didn't move, I knew they were conversing telepathically. And, I knew they knew it was safe to do so. Not like I posed a threat at the moment.

I sensed moving, and it was toward me. Kurama was the most logical answer. He whispered into my ear and I groaned at the idea of moving.

"Sleep in a bed. You'll do yourself a favor."

I sat up and stood, but immediately collapsed. My hands broke a part of my fall. I struggled to get up, and I refused help in that task. I was going to do it myself in the hopes that I would not wake up in a couple of hours. Stairs would normally be an easy task, but that was the most arduous thing I did the entire day- that I was aware of, anyway.

By some unknown grace, I made it into my room and into my bed before collapsing again. I pulled a blanket over me and abruptly fell asleep.

I felt a gentle shake as I stirred. I blinked a few times and yawned in the process of getting the day started.

"Yeah?" I asked weakly. I saw Kurama fully dressed in his uniform.

"Get dressed." He left the room.

Not happy, I got out of bed and threw on my uniform. I flung my hair around before tying it back into a side ponytail. Some of my hair was still against my face, but I didn't care. Today was going to suck.

By the end of the day, I was correct plus more. The day was super-suckish. I got hell from that crew I dealt with before training. I brushed it off and decided to stay away from any altercation for the rest of whenever. I wasn't sure when I was going to get some energy back, but I knew, in this state, that I wasn't about to take anyone on.

I didn't have to work today, which was sweet. Normally, it wasn't a day off, but since I walked in there looking like shit, I guess he felt bad for me, maybe? I don't know, but I gladly accepted it. I desired sleep, so I set out for Kurama's house. I wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep the week away. I wanted to do that constantly until we had to compete in that tournament. Wait a minute; I know nothing about this tournament, but I want to be a part of it. That was something weird. Hopefully I would find out more about it. Maybe, but right now, sleep was the number one priority.

I walked into the house and was greeted by the cute and hyper Botan. So much for my number one priority.

"So glad you're here!" she exclaimed as she grabbed my hand and led me into the living room. The four guys were there plus Koenma and someone I wasn't exactly expecting to see outside of school- Rahvanna. Come to think of it, she wasn't in class today.

Her outfit didn't surprise me. She was clad in all black, vintage gothic style. I mean, it seemed to suit her, in a way. Well, when she wasn't bubbly that is. Everything was black expect her cell phone, which was in her hand. The bright green blinded my eyes, and on top of that, it was a little odd, but I guess it fit her too. She had those random, shocking moments, so why not.

"Still tired, I see," said Koenma, stating the obvious.

I didn't bother glaring at him. I think he knew I was irritated. He said nothing after that. Well, nothing immediately after that, anyway.

"I'm going to bring this out first and make it very clear," Koenma began. "The tournament that you all have been preparing for has changed drastically." He paused as curious eyes stared at him.

He took a deep breath before continuing. "The remaining Black Book Club members have pushed the date up; it starts in two weeks and…"

"What the hell, binkie breath?" yelled Yusuke.

Honestly, I wasn't concentrating on anything but the last words he spoke. Two weeks was not enough time for me to start blocking out people from entering my mind. I was royally screwed at this point. I hadn't even sparred with anyone, which was severely working against me. I could do the training, but I don't know how well I could apply it. And, I knew things were going to get worse from this point.

When Yusuke finished his yelling session, Koenma finished his statement.

"And I've registered you as a team of six."

Well, I knew why Rahvanna was here. That solved one thing.

"Why is it starting so early?" Kurama inquired the teenage ruler.

"Well, the Black Book Club replaced Sakyo with a very rich and powerful human named Nodoiya. He got many potential investors and plenty of bets on the tournament to be, so he moved it up in hopes of collecting his potential money sooner."

I listened at this point. I knew he was holding something back, but I wasn't figuring out what it was.

"There is one catch before I can let you officially enter the tournament," Koenma said as he pulled a calculator-like meter out of his clothing. "Everyone's energy has to be recorded and submitted. I don't know why, but that's one of their rules."

"Wait a minute! They'll know how much energy we have. Isn't that cheating?" asked Kuwabara who was up in arms about that.

Hiei responded with a 'hn', which ticked off Kuwabara. He picked Hiei up by his overcoat and began to yell at him. The room was so noisy at that point. Between Kuwabara yelling, Botan and Yusuke trying to calm him down and Koenma yelling on top of them, my head was swelling from all of the commotion. I just pressed a few fingers to my head in a chance that it would lessen the pain.

"Shut up!" I yelled.

The chaos of the room ceased, and Kuwabara released Hiei.

"You're too damn loud." I was pissed when I expressed those short phrases, and I think I scared a person or two. Though it was not beating fast, my heart was blatant in the silence.

I sat on the floor and acted like nothing ever happened. Koenma proceeded with his requirement as I let my heart stop. When he got to me the meter zeroed out and stayed there.

"Something must be wrong," he said.

"Nope."

He looked at me oddly.

"Just put zero down on the form. See what happens," I said.

He didn't like that idea, but I wasn't about to let all three facial marking appear just to humor the requirements.

He finished and announced the range of our six-man team. "Well, I don't know if I should be embarrassed or not… Zero to two-hundred fifty thousand," he stated grimly. There was a special emphasis on zero.

"Hey, why does yours come up as zero?" Kuwabara inquired curiously.

"I have no clue," I lied to him. Hints of sarcasm were apparent in my voice.

"But all of that training!" he said frantically.

I didn't reply. I just sat there irritated at his ignorance.

Since I ignored him, he just pouted for a while before bringing up a seemingly unrelated question. "Uh, what about school, guys?"

"Taken care of," interjected Koenma. "In two weeks, a section of each school will collapse and it will have to be closed, so don't worry about it." He smiled at his statement, but we all looked at him strangely. We didn't think too much of it at the moment because training was on our minds like vultures on a carcass.

It was silent for a few minutes. Botan broke it though.

"It's time for training!" she cheered.

I didn't like the sound of that at the moment. I wasn't going to last long, and I could admit that, but I could also assume that I would feel like this at the tournament, so I got over it as everyone got up and walked to and through the portal that appeared in Kurama's backyard.

This was going to be the worst, longest two weeks of my young life to date.


	14. Change of Plans

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Fourteen: Change of Plans

We got to the edge of a forest in Spirit World. We sat in a circle as Botan pulled out a two-week calendar. She began to write a few things down before assigning days of training. I didn't really apply to that calendar- I still had to train with the twins and they got word of the advancement of the tournament. Not only do I train all weekend, but I now train two to three times a week extra with them. It's like a second job, freakin' A! I was seriously contemplating quitting the cashier position, just to have some extra time with the training. I sure knew that I was going to desperately need it. As she coordinated who trained on what day with whom, I dozed off a bit. I was pushed in order to wake up.

"You can sleep later," Botan said as she shook me.

"No, she can't," Koenma piped up. "She has training tomorrow."

I didn't like the sound of that. I could have cried at that moment if I wasn't so exhausted. My face expressed the distress, but that was about the extent of it.

"Uh, hey, what's wrong?" questioned Kuwabara.

Honestly, on principle, Kuwabara was a sweet guy, but I wished he just paid more attention to the situation sometimes. It would answer a lot of the questions he voiced aloud.

"I'm so drained I could cry…"

I used the wrong choice of words for another slew of inquiries flooded my ears. I violently shook my head; I didn't want to hear anymore of that. I pointed my index finger in his general direction and a cat popped out of nowhere, well, in his eyes, anyway.

"Oh, kitty! Come here, kitty!" Kuwabara played with the imaginary cat for a while. He was so elated. "You look just like Eikichi!"

I sighed deeply- yet another reprieve.

"Hey, what's goin' on?" asked Yusuke. "I don't see a cat…"

This peaked the interest of Kurama and Hiei.

"Is he hallucinating?" Botan asked me as she turned to look at me in a worried, yet oddly comforting way. It wasn't like she was nervous or anything…

"Yes and no," was all I said.

"So, what's goin' on and how did it happen?" Yusuke asked again.

"What's goin' on is he sees an illusion and how it happened… I'm not too sure about it myself."

Kurama explained parts of the matter that I was a little confused on. All I knew was that Illusionists and specific types of mages could produce illusions that did not have much contrast to a hallucination. Anything after that was a foreign language to me, just like physics.

As Botan finished her last day of training on the schedule, she brightened the area with her smile. "Okay, ladies and gents, we're good to go! We begin tomorrow. And, Hatsune," she said as she looked at me, "Have fun with Sakaki and Sasaki. Don't die, okay?"

"It's number one on my list for the next two weeks."

As I stood up, I saw a trio of squirrels. Just your plain, ol' cute, little, furry woodland creatures… Well, about that. They were cute until they mutated in front of everyone.

"You wanna play with my pets?" she asked everyone. She was in her happy mood now. I think she forgot to take her medication. She walked up to me. "Did you enjoy playtime last time?"

"Hell no."

Rahvanna went from content to insta-bitch in a nanosecond. I had to take a few steps toward her fuzzy freak friends in order to keep my head as she got super pissed. I took a good look at the anomalies and decided I would just sort of slice them, but they were solid and metal like. I didn't feel like blowing things up for the moment, so I passed that idea by. I poked them and indeed they were metal.

"How the hell do you get rid of these metal things?" I asked as I looked at her. She had somewhat calmed down, but she was not in the best mood. I didn't give a damn.

"NO! You don't kill them! It's playtime."

_Seriously, what the hell IS she on?_

While I was staring down the overgrown rodents, Botan chirped.

"Uh, can you undo that cat illusion? He's still entertained by an Eikichi look-alike."

Whoops. I forgot about that. I just snapped and he was out of it. That was one good thing about a snap. The down side was some animals found it annoying, per se. The squirrel things squirmed around for a little bit before Rahvanna made them disappear.

"They don't like you," she told me.

_I can live with that info. I'm okay with it._

With all of this comprehended, we left the edge of the thicket and entered Kurama's backyard. The team disbanded for the rest of the day. It was the only day that we actually had to relax and just chill. I showered and chilled on the couch for a little bit while Kurama was sitting at the computer desk skimming through the information he copied from that chip. I didn't bother to walk over there. Mainly, I was too lazy because of the lack of energy. I sprawled out on the couch and made it my temporary bed until Kurama ruined my moment. He sat on my stomach!

I whined. Flat out. My discontent was growing while my motivation was lessening.

"Why do you hate me?" I asked in a tired, yet playful manner.

"I don't hate you."

"Then why are you sitting on my stomach? You're too heavy, so you need to get off before it collapses."

"Fine." He stretched out on top of me. "The weight is better distributed."

I groaned in protest. "You're still too heavy to be on top of a worn out twig!" I tried to wiggle my way out; however, it didn't work out as well as I thought it could have. "I wanna sleep," I mewled airily. It almost sounded like I was ready to cry.

He gave in to getting off me, but not before he picked me up and carried me upstairs. I objected, I lost. He laid me down on the bed and I rolled straight into it. I barely smiled as I looked up at him. I was so happy to feel blankets and pillows and I think he knew how much I enjoyed it, too.

"Yea, comfy and soft bedding around me," I said in a mildly elated manner. "Thank you." I looked up at him when I said that.

I stirred to some movement that I could hear outside. I got up and stole a glance at the clock. Four in the morning wasn't that bad. I felt really good too. I walked over to the window and I looked out. I couldn't see anyone obvious, so I cracked the window open slightly. I stuck my head out and looked around even more. I could sense someone was around, but I couldn't see a soul.

"Hn."

I stretched out and turned to look up toward the roof. I saw Hiei, barely. "Good morning.I stuck my head back in and walked away. Grabbing my uniform, I threw it on top of my pillows and stretched a little bit. Today was going to be fun.

Hiei flitted into my room and walked straight out. I figured it would be okay to close the window at this point. I did. I quickly changed into my uniform and tried to fix my hair, but I stopped when I noticed it in the mirror. It was longer yet again; no longer at my clavicles, my hair had stretched past my bra strap. And, it wasn't a nice chocolate brown- it was black.

_When did this change occur?_

I didn't concentrate on it too much. I just brushed through my hair and kept it down. It looked odd against my skin. I was slightly tan, but I was used to something that was colored more toward my skin. I wondered how many people would think I dyed my hair.

I walked down stairs with my bag and shoes in hand. I set them near the door and walked into the kitchen. Stares graced my presence.

"Yeah?" I asked as if I had no clue what they were staring at.

"Onna looks more like Yusuke now," mumbled Hiei in Kurama's general direction.

Kurama nodded.

I just ignored the two of them. I grabbed some bread and just nibbled on it as I half-watched the two guys talk at the table. Most of their conversation was telepathic, so silence had the chance to grace my ears.

I had a few thoughts running through my mind and some of them made me smile. I just chilled and let them run about for as long as they could. I made sure that they didn't run a-muck, but I let them be free.

I felt a gentle thump on my head and looked up. Kurama made a gesture for me to follow him, so I set half a piece of bread on the counter and walked. It led to his backyard. The sun had just risen and it was a beautiful sight to behold. I looked at my hair and it was shining the chocolate brown I was used to seeing. It was just a tint, though, but I enjoyed the familiarity of the color.

I saw him grow a plant and pick one of the buds off. He opened it and pulled out a seed. "Take this," he said as he held it out to me. Without second-thought, I took it and swallowed it. It felt odd, but I didn't think anything of it. I saw my hair get shorter and return to its original color. I was happy. It didn't look like I had done something unrealistically drastic over the weekend.

"Don't throw up in the next two weeks. It's good for that long." He walked inside to change into his uniform.

I just stared at my hair for a little while. I wish it would just stay like this, but I would have that long black hair back when the tournament came around. Oh joy. I walked in so I could finish my bread and get my shoes on. I took my time since no one was in the kitchen. I guess Hiei left right as we walked outside.

When Kurama came down the stairs, I grabbed my stuff and we headed out the door to school. Again, we walked in silence, but I was all smiles. I didn't have to come up with some lame-ass explanation for my hair. My smiles soon dissipated as we crossed paths with Motoko and her boyfriend. Oh, I was gonna hear it this morning.

"Shuichi!" she squealed and ran from her boyfriend. I saw him glare at me, and I stayed as close as I could to Kurama. I did not want those energy marks on my face.

We had to stop walking because Motoko stood against Kurama.

"Shuichi, when are we going to have our date?"

_"Whore," I scoffed mentally._ I rolled my eyes and waited for her to get the hell out of the picture. We had time to spare, but I had little patience for her.

She glared at me. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm walking with him. Problem?" My look was far more intimidating than hers.

"Motoko," Kurama began and it caught her interest quickly, "please, you have someone who already accompanies you. And, we have been over this already."

Motoko took one quick glance at her boyfriend. "Him? Oh, I just dumped him, so I'm available."

_She's worse than I thought…_

I saw him walk away. He carried himself poorly, but he just got dumped, so I guess you could do that. Wasn't too sure.

"And why are you still here, peasant?"

Oh hell no. First it's bitch then peasant; it's on. "Because he apparently likes peasants to bitchy, royal sluts." I just smirked at her. I could play her game without getting physical.

Unfortunately I had not expected or thought she was capable of physical altercation of the magnitude that she served. She tackled me to the ground and punched me in the face. I felt my heart lurch a little, but that was expected. I threw her off me, but it ended up being a little too hard- she ended up across the street.

_"A little more realistic would be nice."_

_"Hey! Be glad she didn't go any farther than that."_

Kurama helped me up while he watched to Motoko to see if she would get up. I saw her twitch a little, but she made no indication that she would make any major movement anytime soon. We left so we wouldn't be questioned if there was someone around.

We were two blocks from her location when we stopped. Well, I stopped which made him stop.

"Something wrong?"

"It feels like my face is swelling, but I can't physically feel that."

"It's the seed. It'll heal you, but it makes it seem like it's inflamed."

I nodded and we resumed our walk to school. We talked briefly, but we were interrupte by Riho who dragged me away from Kurama.

"Hatsune, you have to see this. I have no clue what's going on, but Kuraiya won't tell me!" said Riho in half-frenzy. She led me into the school ground, but forced me into the boys' locker room.

"Riho," I said in a scolding manner, "why are we here?"

Kuraiya walked out, dressed in his uniform, and came up to us. We walked out of the hallway and back onto grass.

"Hey, Riho, could you put my bag in class?" Kuraiya asked very plainly.

"Uh, yeah…" She took it and left.

I saw Kuraiya reach into his pocket and pull out a case. He opened it to reveal glasses. "This is what she was freakin' out about."

I was perplexed, but not hysteric. Kuraiya had hella good vision, so I was wondering why he needed glasses. "Kuraiya, are those yours?" It seemed like a stupid question, but serious, he had no need for those.

He just looked at me in that manner. I knew I would get that look, but I still had to ask.

"But, you have great vision," I said.

"When I'm not pissed."

That brought me back to his eyes being a bit foggy when he was last mad. I still wondered about that. Maybe I would ask Kurama.

I felt a sharp shock to my hand as I pulled it back. My hand was slightly burnt as was Kuraiya's.

"Dude!" he said.

I just stared at my hand. I know I didn't do that, and I was pretty sure he didn't do it on purpose since he was trying to grab my hand.

"Did you do that?"

"No. Why would I want to hurt you or myself?"

I couldn't think of a reason, but that didn't just come out of nowhere. I heard the bell ring, so I got up and headed to class. I just left him behind as I ran into the school. I had a slew of questions and I wanted to know some answers.

I managed to get in and sit as the teacher walked in. She looked sad as she remained standing.

"Class, I have something I'd like to share with you today," she paused as she took a deep breath in. "I will be transferring schools at the end of the week. Your new teacher will sit in and observe the class. Please allow me to introduce your new teacher, Mr. Daioh."

Heaven forbid, but in walked Koenma. If my heart could stop it would have, trust me. I just stared at him and wondered why he was here. My eyes went from him to the late-comer, which happened to be Kuraiya. His hand was bandaged from the earlier incident. I guess he was in the nurse's station. I looked at my hand, which was fine.

"Uh, sorry, I was at the nurse's," he said as he handed her the slip. He took his seat and had absolutely no idea what was going on.

She was a wreck throughout physics and math. She finally broke down in English and had to leave the room. Koenma stepped up and began the English lesson. I admit, his English was pretty good, but he had a few mistakes when he wrote things down. I laughed in my mind, but I got shot a glare or two. I had to stop or I was going to end up getting into some serious trouble.

When English ended everyone flooded out of the room save Kurama, Kuraiya and I. We approached Koenma.

"What happned to the school going down?" I asked him.

"Well, I could only get permission from dad to do it on the junior high. I'll have avatars of the both of you for as long as we need them."

"Going down? What are you guys talking about?" Kuraiya asked.

Whoops. We sort of forgot that he was there.

"Oh, nothing," I said as I waved it off. He grabbed my hand and looked at it.

"Where's the burn?"

Oh, crap, this was going to be fun to explain. I was coming up short with ways to explain it, so playing dumb came to mind before mentioning there was a plant in my stomach.

"Burn?" I just feigned a wide smile. It was obvious, and it tweaked him a little.

He went to flick me on the forehead, but missed by a mile- he flicked air.

"Put your glasses on, blind bat."

He did and saw that his hand was indeed over my head.

Koenma looked at him oddly then exchanged looks with Kurama and I. He resumed looking at the glasses that Kuraiya had on.

"When did you get those?" he asked him.

"Over the weekend. I couldn't see much."

Koenma leaned over and pulled at his ears. He tugged on them for sometime before letting go. I wasn't too sure what he was doing, but Kurama and I watched as he scrutinized Kuraiya. I could tell he was getting a little annoyed, which was not like him. He was usually calm and hyper.

Koenma grabbed my left hand and Kuraiya's right. When they barely touched, our hands were burnt again. Mine healed fast enough, but his were still in a charcoal-like state. Next, he grabbed Kurama's hand and did the same, but nothing happened between the two guys. He grabbed my right and Kurama's left and the same burning reaction happened.

"Wow, this has progressed fast," Koenma stated flatly. He seemed a little worried.

"What has progressed?" Kurama asked.

"Well, I got another summons from Mukuro, and anyone not her blood, servant, heir, etcetera was not to be touch by someone from another kingdom. I'm not entirely sure why she's doing that, but her previous summons was cancelled." He looked at me when he said that, like he finally had it confirmed for sure.

"So…" I said as a way to break the silence that came forth fast.

"Yes, when does school get out?" Koenma asked.

"Three thirty," Kuraiya asked.

Koenma groaned at that. There was time where he could chill, but there was so much that needed to be tended to back in his office.

During PE, Riho and I played on opposite teams in dodge ball. I did that mainly so she wouldn't try to talk to me about Kuraiya and his glasses. I loved her like a sister, but she was rambling about them and I didn't want to listen to it. Besides, I had Rahvanna 'keeping me company'. She was in her usually blah self today. Nothing hyper or furry to bother me, so it was all good for the moment.

In the locker room, I opened my locker only to find it destroyed. Just my luck, too. My uniform was good, but my deodorant and such had been smeared or sprayed everywhere. As if I couldn't figure out who did this. I would just have to let this one slide by to be perfectly honest.

Civils shocked the hell out of me because I saw Botan there, sitting behind the desk.

"Botan, why are you here?"

"I'm the new teacher,silly," she said happily.

"So… What do I call you?" I asked her. I didn't know her last name.

"Mrs. Daioh."

WOAH!

"You and Koenma are hitched?"

She laughed at me and waved it off. "No, silly, it's just for a cover up."

Uh huh… Well, I let it go and walked over to my seat. Kurama walked in shortly after and greeted her. They talked until the rest of the class poured into the room.

"Hello, class. I'm Mrs. Daioh, and I'll be your new teacher. Please, open your books to chapter eight. We'll be going over industrial-organization psychology. Does anyone already know what that is?"

Only five hands were raised. Of course, Kurama's was one of them. Naneya, Megumi, Kokoro, and mine were the others.

I bolted out of the school as soon as the bell rang. I didn't want to start off the day being locked in that hellish chamber. As soon as I got there, I was greeted by Sakaki. She led me into the woods a little before stopping.

"Take this," she said, handing me a purple petal.

I knew better than to question her decision, so I did what she asked. I immediately felt sick and threw up- something I didn't need to do according to Kurama.

"Now, since you're free from that plant we can begin." She walked away and I followed as I felt my features alter. My hair was black and long again.

We saw Sasaki and she just smiled. Both of them led me to an open field.

"You will spar with us at the same time," announced Sasaki. As soon as she ended her statement, I was attacked, and I had to block it until I figured out something to do. I sent my needle-like threads in circles, but I had a plan. I just had to make sure I wasn't knocked off my block before then.

I could hear multiple sets of feet running toward us, but I didn't let that distract me. I had my cage complete, so I could keep them both close. I decided to shield myself and let an explosion occur. It didn't take a lot of energy, but it felt like an earthquake under my feet. The cage was opaque due to the heavy smoke and dust that was created or kicked up.

"Damn," was all I could hear.

I let the strings drop and disappear. Soon the smoke took the same course and I was coughing from the dust.

Sasaki and Sakaki sat on the ground nursing theirs arms. I had managed to get a direct hit, which made me happy. I had been able to do something, but I needed a lot more accuracy or I was going to be toast.

Koenma, Botan, and Kurama walked up.

"Koenma, I thought Hatsune was training here," she said to him.

I turned to face her. "I am."

Apparently the long, black hair had been enough to trick her. "Oh my, you didn't look like that in class."

"Thank the purple petal."

Kurama didn't look to happy. That seed was supposed to last two weeks, and now I have to make up some lame-ass excuse.

"Heeeeeeey!"

We all turned to see two familiar faces coming up the stairs. Both stopped dead in their tracks.

"Uh," Kuwabara began as he looked me then to Yusuke, "Urameshi, she kinda looks like you now."

He jumped and punched him on top of his head. "I can see that, Kuwabara!"

I decided to see how the twins were holding up with their wounds. They were fine, but when I offered to help Sasaki up, I burnt her hand.

"Sorry." I had forgotten about that summons. I backed away from them and walked over to the others.

"Anyway, forget her appearance and listen to what I have to say: we need to be in Spirit World by the end of the day- all of us. We have to go through the tournaments exam to make sure no one is using anything to enhance their ability. Make sure you pack everything."

We were all slightly confused. It wasn't supposed to start in two weeks, but we had to be there already.

"Well," Koenma began, "I got more information after I submitted the energy range." He looked at me, and all I could do was smile. "They want detailed reports and since there are over 150 teams entering, they want a pre-tournament elimination to weed out the weaklings. That starts next week. Exams are first and they are tomorrow morning." He turned to Yusuke and Kuwabara. "Demo of the east wing is scheduled for tomorrow, by the way."

I was a little worried that I hadn't had much practice. I knew well that I had to hold my own and more. I pondered about the subject until I felt two other presences moving fast toward us. Hiei and Rahvanna had raced each other to the top. Hiei beat her to the group, but she wasn't that far behind him, so it was almost evenly matched.

"Hey, shorty found himself a new playmate," Yusuke said.

Hiei shot him a glare and stood. My gosh was he short. Rahvanna walked over to the group, clad in all black.

"I expect all of you in my office no later than ten tonight." Koenma and Botan left for spirit world and the rest of us just stared at each other.

Randomly, Yusuke began to panic and run around. "Oh shit, what am I going to tell Keiko? She's gonna kill me!" We let him have his moment.

Everyone decided that we would meet at Genkai's at nine and leave from there to go to spirit world.

Everyone left to go pack and whatnot. Kurama and I walked back in silence, again. This was beginning to happen a lot. I was in deep thought as we sauntered back to his house. I was in a little too deep, actually; I ran into a pole.

"Ow," I obviously stated.

He reached out a hand, but I didn't take it. I pushed myself off the pole and up. We continued to walk while he poked fun at me for that last stunt. Oh well. When we got to his house, it erupted into an all-out tickle war. After a few shocks and burns, we stopped.

I was still laughing even though it was over and I was on the floor. That did brighten my day until I got shocked. I jumped up and rubbed the side of my face. I stared at Kurama's burnt palm.

"That's not going to work anymore," I said.

"If I wear gloves it might."

"You have fun with that one. I just want the damn summons to be G-O-N-E. Why did she bother with it?"

There was a moments silence before Kurama answered.

"Well, I think you know the answer to that one."

I stared at him confused. If I knew why I was confined to physically stay away from people, then I wouldn't be asking or thinking about the question.

"Well, your son," he began delicately, "is a half-demon, which is split into part of her blood and part of Raizen's as far as property is concerned. He's easier to train and control than you."

I got what he was saying. For the first time, I actually got something, but there was no happy revelation- I was actually a little sad. That body in the tube was him being recreated or something. It disgusted me. He was killed and now he was going to be brought back under her. That's why she didn't want me, but now she doesn't want me near anyone… That was going to perplex me for a while. Maybe she didn't want me to have more offspring… that didn't follow her reign, anyway. Lordy, this was going to be confusing.

"You know, we should pack," I said as I looked at him with a diminishing smile. I got up and headed toward my room. I needed to find my duffel bag. I thoroughly searched the closet before I moved it to under the bed. I found it there. I threw in all of my training clothes and some regular clothes. Hell, I even added a pretty purple dress and some flats, just because. I made sure to pack enough fundamentals and I said fuck make-up at that point. I threw in hygienic products to last months, even though it was only four bottles and a small bag total… Maybe five bottles, who knows. I double checked everything and made sure I had what I felt I needed.

I carried it downstairs and dropped it next to the door. I walked back up to Kurama's room and knocked before I entered it.

"Hey, do you mind if I visit Kuraiya and Riho before we leave?"

"Not at all; just be back in an hour, okay?"

"Can do," I said as I left the residence and ran to their new place.

I didn't even have to knock on the door. I was tackled to the ground by Riho, who was ambivalent toward me. Her anger and happiness drowned me as I tried to greet her. She somewhat reminded me of Rahvanna at the moment.

"Hey, girly! What's up?" she said to me.

I smiled at her. "Nothing much, actually. Do you mind if I stay for an hour?"

"Not at all! Come in!" she yelled as she pushed me in and into Kuraiya. I got instantaneously zapped.

"Owie!" he playfully whined.

"Shut it, goober."

We spent the next forty-five minutes or so talking, eating popcorn, and having food fights before I had to leave. They talked about seeing me tomorrow and such, and it hurt that I couldn't tell them that they were going to see a mere shell of me in a desk. I just smiled at their comments. I nodded and left before they brought up something else to do.

I made it back to Kurama's within the hour promised, but just barely. He was ready to go and even had my stuff in his hand. We walked to the portal in his backyard and we ended up right outside the doors of Koenma's office. We walked in and we were the first there. It was still quite early, to be perfectly honest.

We were greeted by a blue ogre. He seemed nervous, but I didn't pay all that much attention to it.

"Kurama," he said.

"George, nice to see you again. How is everything?"

They had small talk for a while before Koenma came into the room having a major meltdown and hissy-fit.

We walked up to his desk and sat in the two seats in front of it.

"GEORGE!" Koenma screamed out. I thought it was unnecessarily loud.

He came running and bowed to him. "Yes, sir?"

"Get Kurama and Hatsune here right now!"

We froze. So did the ogre. Koenma looked up to see us.

"Wow, that was fast!

We didn't reply to that. I saw Koenma hold out two glowing balls that shown brightly and felt warm even though they were a little distance from me.

"What are those?" I asked me.

"Your official summons as confirmed by my father, King Yama, and agreed upon through many meetings in the stronghold of Alaric."

Yeah, I totally knew what he was talking about.

"So, how does it work?" I asked him.

"Throw it against the wall. Be gentle, though; I don't want any holes in my wall."

I took the first one he gave me and gently, like he asked, threw it. It hit the wall and liquid-like substance came out of it. It formed a person who I didn't recognize. I wasn't sure if it was a he or she. The masked being began to talk.

"Hello, child. I am Mukuro, ruler of Alaric. While a child by both standards, I cannot impose my summons onto you, thus being null and void as of the creation of this message. However, do not assume that I am not out to challenge you. I will have a team in the upcoming Black Book Tournament, and your son will be a member of my team. I will not be a fighter- just the sponsor. I will be watching all matches, especially the one between your team and mine, assuming you make it that far. That will determine my answer to a question that has been plaguing my mind for quite some time now. I look forward to seeing you fight…"

The image faded and the remaining materials disappeared.

"Okay, then," I said, "I'm being fought over, I see." I was not happy, but there was another I had to sit through. Hopefully, it would be short. I grabbed it and threw it in the same manner.

A man with no hair appeared. He looked fairly human-like, anyway.

"Hello, Hatsune-san. I am Hokushin, the current second in command for Lord Raizen in Tourin. Currently he is unavailable, which is why you see me instead of my lord. The purpose of this message is solely to support you in the upcoming tournament. We will be watching with anticipation as we know your team will progress well. Also, we extend an invitation to you: please, visit Tourin if you wish. We would be pleased to meet you. Until we meet again…"

I sighed as I turned around to face Koenma. "He seems sure of himself."

The door was kicked open and walked in the loud-mouthed Spirit Detective.

"Hey, toddler, did I hear Hokushin?" asked Yusuke as he ran in and looked around.

"Hey, Yusuke, but it was a message." Koenma had a disgruntled look on his face. He sighed as he saw Kuwabara right behind him.

"Well, I know it's still two hours early, but where are Hiei and Rahvanna?" Koenma asked as he began to pull a few things out of his drawer.

I saw six red bands and some papers in a folder. It read Team Koenma, Captain Yusuke Urameshi. He gave the four of us the red band and instructed us to put it on our left wrist. We did without too much of a problem.

Not much after that order, Hiei walked in with an incredibly small throw bag. He set it down next to Kurama and stood away from us as Koenma floated over to him to give him the band. He took it, but he didn't look enthused about it.

With only one member left to be counted for, Koenma began to explain the simple things. He began with room arrangements.

"There are six of you in one room, so behave. I don't want to have to keep moving you guys around because you blew something up. Unfortunately, the tournament is in the same place as the Dark Tournament, so the majority of you know what the room is going to be like."

"Uh, Koenma," Kuwabara began, "there's only four beds and six of us. How's that going to work?"

"Four to beds, one to the couch and one unfortunate soul on the floor," I said.

"Well, not quite," Koenma interjected before the argument even began. "You see, they had to remodel, if you forgot what happened. Hatsune, you wouldn't know, but that's not something to worry about. There are three hotels: one for judges and other honorables, one for contestants, and one for team sponsors. You six will be in the middle lodging on the third floor in room 381. There are five beds, but one of them is a full size while the other four are regular twins. That's among you to decide."

As if on cue, Rahvanna walked in and hugged me from behind. "We can be roommates, friend!" She was clad in her usual black, but she was uncomfortably happy.

"No, we can't!" I protested.

She let go and quickly grabbed my collar to fling me around to face her.

"Why not?" she yelled as she asked her question.

"Because I'll kill myself."

I wasn't serious, but she took it seriously.

"No! You can't do that. What would I do without you?"

"Bug the hell out of someone else until he killed himself."

Well, there went her happy mood. She was seriously pissed and unknown to me, my collar was frozen.

"Woah! She can create ice!" yelled Kuwabara.

I heard a 'hn' and I figured Hiei smirked. He seemed to do that a lot.

I stared her down until she let me go, but instead of dropping me, she threw me into the nearest wall. I got up and tried to heat up my shirt collar enough, but it still stayed frozen. I took it off (I had another shirt under it) and I tried it that way. My neck was getting a little warm. It slowly melted and I put it back on. I resumed my earlier place on the chair as Rahvanna put her band on.

"Well, since we're here, why don't we try to beat the crowd and get registered, checked-in, and pass examination?" Koenma opened a portal and changed into his more appealing teenage form.

We grabbed our stuff and walked through the portal. At the other end was a cliff, the ocean, a forest, and the new erected living arrangement. The larger building behind the three hotel-like structures was the main building we needed to be in.

As a group we walked over and registered. We got the rest of our information and a key for each person. He got name tags, but they were only for this process. After this, we could discard them. Check-in was quick. They took our stuff to our room and stamped our hand so we could move onto the exam. This was going to suck.

There were six separate stalls, so to speak. One of the guards motioned for us to each walk into one and the examiner came into the room.

"This will be a simple process, so don't worry."

We were scanned to make sure there wasn't anything wrong or nothing extra there. We passed the 'cheating exam' as I have deemed it. Or failed… Anyway, we were cleared.

"One more to go, and you're through," he said as he pressed a button.

We were all zapped and the stall we were in measured our energy flare, if there was one. Unfortunately, this took me by surprise, and I let a little slip.

"Mm… Mm… Uh huh," he said as he wrote the numbers down.

"Thank you. You may go to your assigned room. The orientation will be tomorrow."

We walked out a little irritated. Though some may not have showed it, it was apparent by the silence and roughness of out group harmony. The third floor was very nice. It was carpeted and had a very nice atmosphere, for the moment. We walked in and saw our stuff in the living area.

"So, room arrangements?" asked Yusuke.

"How about we draw that way it's fair," suggested Kuwabara. I think he secretly wanted to be away from Yusuke or room with him that way they could goof around all night.

Rahvanna hugged me, then grabbed my collar again. "Room with me!"

"No," I said flatly and plainly.

The scene was quite amusing. She was taller than me, but the heeled boots were to her advantage only. I had to look up as I rejected her demand.

"Hey, does this remind you of anything?" Yusuke said as he snickered.

"Hn."

Kuwabara looked at Hiei. "You're right, but it's in reverse. The shrimp is in all black, but Rahvanna is taller."

"She has heels on, moron," I said. "I'm taller in reality."

She let go and pointed at her shoes. "You like them?"

"No."

"But whyyyyyyyy not?"

"Because I don't."

"Okay, so those two don't room together," said Yusuke as he tore a small piece of paper into three parts. He wrote Rahvanna's name on one and Kuwabara's on another. "Who else wants to be pulled?"

"Might be best to put my name on the last one," I noted. "That way there's no chance of me picking her."

He nodded as he wrote it down. "These are permanent, so suck it up." He held out his hand to Kurama, then Hiei. He had to take the last one. He opened his when the other two opened theirs.

"Hn." Hiei grabbed his stuff and walked to one of the rooms on the right.

"Hey, who did the shrimp get?" Kuwabara asked in a slightly nervous manner.

"Not you, Kuwabara," Kurama said as he showed him his piece of paper. It had his name much to Kuwabara's relief.

I didn't personally care if I ended up with either Yusuke or Hiei, but I think Yusuke and I would but heads more or other things, so that might present a problem.

"Okay, I get the sane one," said Yusuke. He looked into the hall to only see the two bedrooms separated by the bathroom in the middle. I wandered off to the other side and saw a separate door.

_Split bedroom plan? Damn, I think I know what's coming next._

I set my stuff down as I opened the door to look in. I flipped the switch on and saw the full sized bed.

"Damn it!"


	15. Pre Tournament Fun

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Fifteen: Pre-Tournament Fun

I showered as my angry thoughts ran rampant in my mind. It would be just my luck to not only room with Yusuke, but have the single bed bedroom. I would have to get over it, though. Unfortunately I could see the process being very rough and uncompromising. Just what I was looking for.

I turned the water off and hopped out. I used the towel to dry my hair as my attention went to the knock at the door.

"You almost done?"

"Five more minutes."

I decided to throw my clothes on just incase my five minutes weren't his five minutes. Panties first then my pajama shorts, which were pretty cute- green and yellow vertical stripes. I slipped on baggy pajama pants over it, just so I didn't walk around in hoochie shorts. (Those were for bedtime purposes only.) My sports bra and white tank followed and only then did I unlock the door. My hair was still damp, but the detective walked in anyway.

"Geez, how long does it take you to dry that mop on your head?"

I just stared at him. I mean, really, he should know that answer. I continued it until it stopped dripping. When I was satisfied, I left the bathroom. I walked into the living area to find only Kurama and Kuwabara. I think they might have been talking about something, I wasn't too sure.

"Hey, what's up?" asked Kuwabara.

"Nothing much." I mean, we just got here and I had only taken a shower. I took a seat across from the two of them. We sat in silence for a while until Kurama had sifted through the material in the folders.

"Well, there will be thirty-two teams in the official tournament," he stated as he opened up the mini book he held.

Kuwabara leaned over to see what Kurama was reading. I just stayed where I was. I looked down at my red wristband. I seriously wondered what it was for. I knew it had something to do with elimination, but I wasn't sure about the actually formalities of the process. Kurama held up the chart as if answering my thought. Well, I knew how it went now: there were eight colors and four teams from each color advanced. Good to know.

Thump.

I looked up to see Yusuke.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"The hot water is gone," he said with a stern look.

"I took a cold shower, thank you."

Steam rolled out from the hallway and a happy Rahvanna strolled out and into her room. Her pajamas were black- no surprise.

Grumbling, Yusuke walked back to the room and I guess sucked it up. I enjoyed the company of Kurama and Kuwabara for about an hour before we three decided it would be best to get some sleep. Tomorrow would be another round of exams and for those who were done, like us; it would be orientation and such.

I walked into the room and plopped onto the bed. I was sprawled out when Yusuke walked out of the bathroom.

"You can't sleep like that," he said.

"I know that. I'll move in a minute- I'm comfy right now." I rolled over to the edge of the bed nearest the doors and stopped. I was content with my location. "This is my spot!" I voiced happily with a smile.

It wasn't that much longer before the lights were turned off and both of us were drifting away to a land of short-lived slumber.

I don't remember falling asleep, but I knew it had occurred because I slowly woke up with a dull pain on my stomach. I held my head as I turned to face the opposite wall, but that proved to be a mistake because I was sent one hell of a shock to my torso. It sent me into the wall space between the two doors and it smelt like burnt skin- how appropriate.

_Damn…_

I let go of my head and looked at my stomach and sure enough it had some charcoal-like residue.

"Son of a bitch!" I yelled forgetting that people were still sleeping.

"Hey! What the hell happened?" asked Yusuke who just popped his head up from behind the opposite side of the bed.

I thought about it for a minute and realized that the cancelled summons was not a cancelled summons. That or there was a damn loophole or stupid legalities to canceling it out went wrong. Son of a bitch…

Before I could comment, the door flung open and Kuwabara and Kurama rushed in.

"You guys all right?" Kuwabara asked as his face clearly portrayed a worried manner. "What happened?"

"For the moment," I replied to him but glared a hole deep into Yusuke's head. "What the hell were you doing that close to me?" I stood but I still used the wall as support. My legs weren't quite with my mind yet.

"Didn't that message say the summon was cancelled?" Kurama asked.

"It did, but there were two summons, and it wasn't stated which one." That seriously pissed me off to no end. I was wondering how I could have missed something so obvious, but it was late and I was tired.

There were a few moments of silence and no moments of physical violence, so Kuwabara and Kurama decided to leave us be. There would be an exchanging of words once those doors closed.

"I'm sleeping on the floor," I declared. I would solve this problem now so I wouldn't have to worry about killing myself before the actual tournament. I grabbed a pillow and one of the blankets. I wrapped myself in it and dropped to the carpet. I scooted over to the pillow and lay happily on the floor. That was until Yusuke decided to throw me back on the bed.

"You're covered, so you're good."

Technically speaking, I couldn't argue with that. He would have to touch my face and if that happened there would be shit hitting the ceiling fan at that point. Once again, I enjoyed sleep, however it failed to last long. It was not a shock that woke me this time, but Koenma. He was getting everyone up and it wasn't even six yet.

"All of the red teams are registered, so tomorrow at ten in the morning, your preliminary elimination will begin. Only four teams will move on and there will be a total of twenty-eight teams on the platform, so be cautious. I'm not sure of the official format- the club is still discussing it." He paused for a minute so all of the information could sink in. "Oh, and your tournament orientation begins at eight. I'll be back thirty minutes before then to lead you to the meeting room." He left our room with that last remark.

Half of us groaned and the other half sighed. Indeed it was early and we were slightly worn out in some aspects, but we had to be alert, so we gradually began to wake up.

I walked back into my room and grabbed some clothes. Scurrying into the bathroom, I yawned and locked the door. I changed into dark wash jeans and a purple v-neck with a white tank underneath it. I looked in the mirror and it looked slightly off. I decided to go with the standard bra not a sports bra. It was the right choice.

I had to do something with my demon hair, quite literally actually. I tried tying it, but it fell due to the weight or the fact that the hair tie wasn't quite broken in yet.

"Stupid virgin ties," I mumbled. I let my hair hang in my face and over my shoulders. My super long bangs blocked a lot of my sight, and I knew that would have to be fixed soon. I puffed air in its general direction and watched it move forward then fall back onto my face.

I huffed in defeat and walked into the living area. I sat on the couch and just took a few moments to relax. I heard some minor noise, but it wasn't worth my undivided attention at the moment. Leaning my head against the armrest, I lifted my legs from the floor in order to half-sit on them. This felt pleasant. I wasn't sure how long I stayed like that, but I was shaken out of my trance.

"Eat something. You may have more energy," Kurama said as he tugged on my shirt sleeve.

I sat up and followed him into the kitchenette. There was a small plate already fixed. It had rice, tofu and something I didn't recognize. I didn't bother asking what it was- I just ate it, and whatever it was, I liked it. And to finish it off right, I had apple juice; yummy!

Both Kuwabara and Yusuke walked into the kitchenette at the same time and filled a large plate. While they were shoveling food into their mouths Rahvanna plated rice only and began to make them into different shapes. Hiei walked in and as usual said nothing. He just took a seat and moved it toward the window. He faced it and stared out of it.

As noted, Koenma entered at his designated time. We followed him to the ground floor, outside, to the main building and into the elevator. He hit the 'B' button and we went down. Honestly elevator and elevate make sense, so why not up? Who knows…

When it opened we walked out and went to a table with a card that had Koenma's name on it.

We took a seat and waited for the briefing. I saw other groups walking out and looking around for their seats. I didn't pay much attention to one specific group, but there were many that were talking about our group. I heard comments ranging from slaughtering us to being careful since Team Urameshi won the Dark Tournament. As the last took their seats, a large screen was lowered from the ceiling and a live feed of the Black Book Club came up on the screen.

The five men had their own panel and each spoke individually. They briefed up of the general aspects of the tournament: it officially began when thirty-two teams were selected; a win was determined by passing the final count, conceding or dying, anyone was allowed to bet on a team, and in the semi-finals small prizes would be awarded under certain conditions discussed by the captains of each team. We were shown all of the teams currently registered. I found some of them to be, well… odd, frankly. Most of the teams appeared very human-like, but some of them held distinct animal qualities. It held my interest for a very short time, actually.

"Since the red division is all here, you will fight tomorrow," said one of the men. He was obviously over weight and very old seeing that he had grey hair.

All of them finished the briefing and we were dismissed to do as we wished as long as we didn't brawl until the elimination. For two and a half hours, we sat and listened to all of that- I didn't realize it had been that long. We walked out of the main building and looked around the island. I was more intrigued with my new setting. I looked around and noted details with as precise measurements as I could. My mind could only hold so much. I blinked rapidly as I saw something new. It was an amazing plant- it was multicolored and very slim and tall. The leaves were a mix of blue and purple. The buds were pink and the petals of the heart of the life were bright yellow with orange stripes randomly painted across the length of the silky-looking petals. I walked near it, but Kurama pulled me back.

"Do not get near that," he said sternly as he led me away from it.

"What is it? It's very interesting."

He shook his head. "That is not the important part. It fancies limbs for lunch, so it is best to stay away from it."

"Okay, but seriously what is it?"

"Basically it is a demon world Venus fly trap, but it favors humans."

I nodded my head and even though it was odd, I was still amused by it. I stared at it as we left its presence. We circled the island and ended up back in front of the buildings. All of us stood together as we tried to figure out what to do. I heard a couple stomachs growl.

There was a lightly laughter before the obvious question was posed.

"So, who's ready to eat?" asked Yusuke.

Kuwabara held his stomach in both hands as he commented.

We walked to the building where our room was and on the base floor was a restaurant to the far left of the floor. It seemed very secluded since it was down its own little corridor. We walked in and were greeted by what seemed like a fairy.

"Hello, six?" she asked up as she looked around to see if there was an available table and there was. She led us over to a corner booth and we took our seats as she left. I wanted to sit on the edge so I wouldn't bump arms, but that didn't happen; I was seated between Kuwabara, who was on the edge, and Kurama who was at the corner end. I didn't really realize that I was basically sitting on my hands until I tried to look at my menu.

I flipped through it and for some reason I was bored. I just wanted water, that was it. Though, I had this odd feeling that I was going to be forced to eat, so I definitely until I had gotten pushed. I snapped out of my stupor and saw Kuwabara trying to reason with some lady. She was being very abrasive and trying to start a fight with him, but he absolutely refused.

I looked to see Rahvanna radiating complete disgust and glaring a hole into her very apparent and excessively shown skin. I didn't really pay attention to the lady until she had begun to yell. Oh, did her outfit ever yell slut. If she jumped, I think she would fall out, and in more than one places, mind you. Her hair was a shockingly bright purple and it was long as hell. Her eyes did not blend well with her hair- they were a rich gold with random traces of copper.

I looked away after a while, but she was making her way around the table throwing insults our way. She got no response from either Hiei or Kurama, so she flung a heavy one my way. As much as I didn't want to reach to it, I was agape. I looked at her and glared deeply. I had to restrain the desire to kick her ass.

She laughed heavily as she proceeded to run her mouth. "Oh, you just look so cute when you wear your dumb face, little twelve year old."

Like hell I was twelve! I was so pissed that I didn't hear the rest of her name-calling. I just tapped my left pointer finger on the table and looked up as I tried to focus anger on something else. The last thing I needed to do was hand her ass to her, well, right now anyway. Maybe later…

"You're so stupid. Not paying attention to me won't make me leave."

I looked over at her and had a blank look on my face. "Sorry, I couldn't understand you since your syphilis is louder than your vagina."

Now she was the one agape. Inside I smile with knowing that I had won a battle of words with her. It took some time, but that's okay. I will cherish this for the moment. Hatsune, one; skank, zero; haha!

She walked off flailing her arms and screaming at the top of her lungs. I just smiled at the sight of that. I shook my head as I heard the door slam shut and some stomping that accompanied it.

"Yeah, that's really lady like," mumbled Rahvanna.

Shortly after the food came it hit me that I had only water. I mean, it wasn't a big deal, but it was always odd to be the one just sitting there watching everyone eat. I noticed Kuwabara poking at his piece of meat. It looked odd, but it wasn't something that struck me as poke worthy.

"Uh, this is a weird steak… thing," he said as his fork plunged into the piece of meat. It swiggled a little bit. "Oh my gosh, it moved!"

He looked over to me and pointed at it with his finger. "You want it?"

I shook my head as I noticed the piece jump up from the plate to bit his finger. Trying to hold back all laughter, I reached out and pulled the vicious steak-like substance from his hand. This was a good day indeed.

For the rest of the day we spent time in the room. From card games to wrestling, we enjoyed laughs and some minor aches, but night was soon approaching, so sleep was indeed near. We all enjoyed lukewarm showers and later plopped onto the couch to watch a movie. Soon after a conversation erupted from nowhere.

"Hey, guys, what are we going to do tomorrow?" Kuwabara asked. He was sitting on the far right of the couch. Yusuke was in the middle and Kurama was on the far left. I sat on the left edge of the rest and Rahvanna on the right. Hiei took his seat near the window. He seemed to be staring out into space, but I definitely think he was paying attention to the conversation on our side of the room.

"Shut up, Kuwabara! It's getting to the good part," yelled Yusuke. Honestly, he had no room to say that; he was much louder than Kuwabara.

"Urameshi! You shut it!"

Both of them were just being ridiculous. Since neither one of them were occupying the couch, I took Yusuke's seat and Rahvanna plopped down next to me. I leaned against Kurama as I watched the movie. I wasn't sure why it was so interesting- probably because it was so stupid it was actually hilarious. Eventually my line of vision to the box was blocked, so I had to settle for watching Yusuke and Kuwabara beating the hell out of each other. It wasn't nearly as interesting, but it would have to do for the moment.

I saw Hiei get up from his seat and go to his room. That was not much of a surprise. He seemed very behind on his social skills. No sooner than he entered his room, he left it and with his sword. In silence, he exited the room and Rahvanna watched him the entire time.

"So, where do you think he went?" she asked me.

"Not to sure," I said as I turned my head. There was a new line of vision to the box, and I got to see some guy fall on his ass. That was pretty epic, actually.

Rahvanna got up and left the room. I guess she went to look for Hiei.

I sprawled out on the remaining space and stretched. Even though Kurama was still my pillow, I grabbed one of the brightly colored throw pillows and hugged it tightly. I was getting tired, but I didn't want to move to go to a super comfy bed. Right here was almost as good.

Once again, the two brawling imbeciles got in the way of the TV, and it prevented me from watching the stupidity that was actually hilarious. Oh well, I would have to get over it until they moved.

"Hey, Kurama, what time is it?" I whispered. I was running out of energy.

"Fifteen after ten."

I nodded slightly. My head being against his arm and shoulder made it a little difficult to move it any further. I continued to just chill where I was, but Kuwabara being thrown into me and shocking the hell out of me, figuratively and literally, made that a little difficult.

I pushed him off me and I sat up. The fight and the movie were over, so that sucked. And, to make it worse, it was way too hot in the room now, and it absolutely had nothing to do with an electrical current. I unbutton my over shirt from the bottom and stopped a button or two below my bust. It helped, but crude comments were being made.

"Shut it or you'll find yourself sleeping upside down, Yusuke," I said in a very serious manner.

I heard an 'eep', an 'ah', and a light chuckle. I got up and walked into my room. I unbutton the rest of my shirt and threw it onto the foot of the bed. Tying my hair back, I walked into the bathroom and quickly washed my face. While walking out, I pulled off my pajama pants and adjusted the shorts I had underneath. My tank and shorts made it a lot easier to sleep, but it also made it a little difficult at the moment.

I crawled into bed and wrapped myself in the blanket I used last night. I stared up at the ceiling and sighed deeply. I closed my eyes and allowed myself to think a little bit. That thinking led to a very long sleep, and while it was relaxing, it lasted a little too long.

"HEEEEEEEEEEY! Wake up!"

I jumped out of bed and immediately fell onto the floor. I looked up to see Yusuke ready to go.

"We have elimination today so get your ass up and ready in ten minutes!"

I had forgotten about that. I grabbed the first things I could reach and ran into the bathroom to throw them on and brush my teeth while trying to tie my hair. I ran out of the bathroom in a forest green fitted crew neck and light-was, destroyed skinny jeans. I grabbed thin, black sneakers and hopped on one foot out of the room while trying to put socks on. Everyone else was good to go while I was looking like a moron trying to get shoes on.

"Good morning," Kurama greeted.

I just nodded as I tried to catch my breath. Somehow I had managed to do all of that in five minutes. We left the room and walked as a group to the main building. They would lead us to the area or arena or wherever the elimination took place.

We were among the first teams there and those who were there broke into chatter. We stood near the middle of the room and for the most part ignored all of the voices around us. There was one that happened to be very loud and obnoxious- the slut. She waltzed in and immediately started spilling comments everywhere. Her team smirked as she handed people their insults. The three guys on her team were, for the most part, nonchalant, but the other two girls were highly amused.

"Oh, Kagawa, look at the pencil in the center of the room! I think she'll get broken, don't you?" said one of the girls.

So, the slut had a name; Kagawa. Didn't need to know that, but maybe, I could somehow use that against her.

I think she recognized me because she took the time to walk over to me and point and laugh. Her crew joined her and not only harassed me, but they tried taking a few swings at Rahvanna. Though Rahvanna didn't take a swing at any of them, I bet she was itching to. Would her mutant squirrels count as her hitting them?

"How did you two weaklings land yourselves on Team Urameshi? Did they feel bad for you?" asked the same unknown girl who called me a pencil.

Silence.

The three hens kept cackling as all of us paid them no heed. Eventually, that one girl, Kagawa got pissed and yanked my 'very nice' ponytail. I just went with it; I leaned back to compensate for the tug. Before I could say anything, a man with a microphone began to speak.

"If all the red teams would follow me, elimination will begin." He walked out the back door and all the teams followed suit. It wasn't far to the ring, but it was in a random place. There were a bunch of tree and plant life, and here is this random stone ring in the middle of it all. Whatever.

"If you will, separate yourselves into four groups of seven teams."

We stayed put and let everyone move around and create factions. We got into one that had only six. Half of the group looked like they were ready to piss themselves and the others were ready to kick our asses.

The main pointed to the group behind him, which was to our right. "One person from each team step into the ring. The last person standing will move onto the tournament."

Their match didn't last long. The last guy standing was clearly far superior to the rest of them. He walked off without a scratched and was very prideful of himself and advancing his team to the official tournament. He and his team left, but not before they shot us a glare.

"Congrats to team Takahara. Next seven fighters please step into the ring."

Our group was not next like I had expected. We were actually going to be the last. This current group took much longer than the last. The two remaining fighters were equally matched, so it was just a matter of who had more endurance or who could land on good punch.

I saw the one guy step on the edge of the ring and slip off. The adjudicator signaled the end of the fight and the winner walked off and met his team.

"Congrats to team Koyaritsu. Next seven, please."

The slutty girl was in the next seven. I hope she makes it to the tournament so I have a chance at kicking her butt. She didn't go up to fight, but that was all right. This group had more vicious fighters. They were precise and cutthroat. It was actually a little more interesting than I thought it would be. The team leader of the skank infested team pulled through victorious and glared over to our remaining group. He walked away without removing his gaze.

"Congrats to team Kyukatsuki. Last seven."

Three of the seven groups ran off, so it was only four who stepped up to the ring. Originally Kuwabara volunteered, but Rahvanna fought him for it, and he wasn't about to physically stop her, so she went to fight for our spot.

I could hear the three guys laughing as she hopped up to the ring. For the moment, she was quite serious. I can honestly say I was waiting for her to unleash the mutant squirrels, but with her current state, I didn't think she would. I guess I was going to get surprised.

The referee announced the start and all four just stood there waiting for someone to make the first move. I saw Rahvanna tapping her foot and looking at her wrist every now and then. Suddenly all three guys rushed at once and in a swift move she froze all three of them. The massive chunk of ice hit the stone ring and the noise echoed throughout the forest.

"Congrats to team Urameshi…" said the guy who took a few steps back. Indeed the ring and surrounding area was cold. I shivered a little bit. We walked off and saw that team Kyukatsuki was waiting for us.

Their leader, the one who fought, spoke. "You better watch yourself in the tournament, Urameshi. Just because you won the Dark Tournament doesn't mean you're a badass."

Yusuke scoffed at the guy. "Please, I reek badass, bitch!"

"You wanna go?"

Before Yusuke could answer by punching him, the judge stepped in the middle of things. "No fighting before the tournament." With that note, he walked off.

We walked past the group and didn't give it another though. Fighting them right at this moment wasn't worth the disqualification. We walked along the path and at the end of it was Koenma.

"Yo," he greeted us.

"Hey, binkie breath, what brings you here?"

Koenma's pleasant exterior changed into a one that was somewhat irritated. "I'm here to discuss something with Hatsune, so if you don't mind," he said as he motioned for me to follow him.

I'm just guessing that he wasn't fond of the names since he mumbled a little bit. We walked to the main building and he led me to a small meeting room.

"Well, let's get to the bottom of this, shall we?" He pulled out of those familiar glowing ball things and threw it at the wall. Again, I saw the image of Mukuro against the wall.

_"Hello, again. Due to legalities that I have postponed, your shocking has not stopped. I intend to keep it that way until you fight my team. If matched correctly, you won't fight them until the semi-finals. A prize negotiation will be made so that I agree to the formality of permanently removing your shocks. I will be clear about the stakes now: you must win your fight and my team picks their opponents. If you think about it, you will know your opponent. So, tell me, can you kill him?_

The image slowly disappeared. And, I looked over at Koenma. "There are freakin' legalities to these things?"

"Well, when you're half her property, so to speak, there are many. The first order was withdrawn, so you do not have to set foot in Alaric, but you are still bound to her spell, unfortunately." He sighed and took a seat. "This message wasn't the only reason why I dragged you from the team." He looked at me intensely and asked his question in a very grim manner. "Are you prepared to kill your reincarnated son if he picks you to fight him?"

I thought this question over and when I came to my answer, I looked Koenma straight in the eye and without second thought or hesitation, I gave him my answer.

"Unless he is the ten month old that I held in my arms, then he is no longer my son and I will not falter to take his life."


	16. Lovely Loophole

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Sixteen: Lovely Loophole

The first day of the official tournament rolled around faster than I had thought, mainly because I slept a lot of the week off. It felt good to be up and with some energy for a change. Other than that one shock incident with Rahvanna who tackled me when I was in my pajamas, the rest of last week was pretty good.

Now, it's Monday, day one, and it's time to party hard!

I threw on slightly baggy black jeans and a green and pink striped shirt. I thought I looked cute, but that wasn't why I wore it. I needed coverage so I wouldn't shock the hell out of my opponent and myself, more so myself. My old and very broken-in black sneakers were appropriate, too. I gave up on my hair, like always, and I just tied it back. We were up in one hour, so there wasn't much time to screw around. I wasn't the last one ready this time; it was Yusuke who overslept.

When everyone was good to go, we left the room and made our way to the only ring that was set up, for the moment. We had the early match, so the other three were still being worked on. I didn't see the point, but I guess those were for back-up and for the others so they could get their money faster. The ring was in a closed stadium, but we had a special entrance. It was very dark and somewhat damp. We walked to the end until we hit doors. We weren't due for another thirty minutes, probably.

As we stood in silence, I wondered who our first opponents would be. I mean, they couldn't be super strong or anything like that. At least I would hope not; I wouldn't want to have to reveal the surprise technique that I've been working on. Thank you random alone time. I wanted to try it out, but I figured I would save it for at least the semi-finals. That would be an appropriate time to use it, I think.

The sounding of a buzzer interrupted my thoughts. I looked over to a flashing light and shortly after saw the doors open. It was time to go out there and show the crowd what we were made of.

"On my left, the winners of the Dark Tournament, Team Urameshi!" I heard a voice say as all of us walked into the stadium. There were cheers and boos among the crowd. No matter. That would eventually die down, switch, or both perhaps. "And, to my right, the opposition, Team Rohkka!"

A group of five guys and one girl walked into the stadium with their heads held high. I noticed they still wore their bands- theirs were blue. They held smug looks as two of them scoffed in our general direction.

"Team Captains please step up and discuss the proceeding of the rounds!"

The announcer was a very odd girl. Her attire was interesting: she showcased a white shirt with a tie and some very colorful shorts. He boots and leggings seemed to flow well, but the randomness of her tail interrupted the outfit. Other than that, it all seemed to be good. She was fond of the microphone and she liked the noise of the crowd- I guess it fueled her passion.

Both captains walked off and she began to speak again.

"For those of you who don't know, I'm Koto your hostess with the mostest! Let's get with bloodbath rolling with our first match!"

While the crowd applauded, Yusuke gave us the conditions of the matches. "Okay, it's one on one, and you kill your opponent or make sure they're down for the count. That's it."

How motivating…

I saw one of the guys step up to the ring. He was clad in dark blue and black. Tall, lean and slightly muscular pretty much covered his physical aspects. His hair and eyes were both pretty dark and his skin was somewhat tanned. I bet he had a ghastly tan line somewhere.

"For Team Rohkka, Shunki!"

At least half of the crowd screamed at the top of their lungs for this guy. Was he a hella good fighter?

Once he stepped up, we were trying to figure out who to send up there. I said I would, but Kurama disagreed. He thought it would be better if I watched at least one real match. Yusuke wasn't about to fight the pawn and Hiei just scoffed at the guy. Rahvanna made up her mind as to whom she wanted to kill, so it was down to me, who was losing the battle, Kurama and Kuwabara.

While Kurama and I exchanged opposing reasons, Kuwabara waltzed onto the platform and the battle began without our knowledge. Hiei had to growl to get us to snap out of it.

"Meanie," I said bluntly, not even trying to cover it up. I watched the match to make sure there wasn't any further argument. I had my arms crossed and leaned against my stomach as my eyes wandered back and forth. Though neither one of them were that fast, I was more interested in the technique and part of the aspect of the match. The ring commentator really needed to shut up; she was distracting.

I watched as Shunki start to beat the crap out of Kuwabara. It reminded me of Yusuke and him brawling in front of the TV. I just inwardly smiled at that. No one needed to know that, and hopefully, no one would.

As much as he stumbled and fell, he was never down longer than count five. Kuwabara was being a bloody trooper. He unleashed his spirit sword and did a pretty cool thing with it; it snaked around and attacked Shunki from behind. Mind you, it hit pretty hard since it did knock him out of the ring and he stayed out for longer than ten. Kuwabara took the first win. Team Urameshi, one; team Loser a.k.a. Rohkka, zero. Score!

While Koto announced it, the next member of Rohkka came forward. He was also tall, but not thin. His muscular build was very apparent and rather huge. He just happened to look like a ghost with super dark hair.

"Ooo," she began as her interest went to the fighter, "we have Touru for Rohkka, and for Urameshi?" she asked as she looked over at us.

"Me, bitches," said Rahvanna as she stepped up onto the ring.

Koto was a bit confounded. Though I'm sure part of her job description was knowing each team name and members' name, I'm not sure if she ever came across someone like Rahvanna.

"Touru and Rahvanna, start when you're ready!" she said as she took a few steps back.

Both emanated a very strong aura. Rahvanna's was a light blue and Touru's was crimson. They stood there for a few minutes before they both charged at the same time. All I could see was a blur of color. I followed it, but I really couldn't see an individual attack until Rahvanna was thrown back. Her facial expression was clearly pissed, but she still held a small, amused smirk as Touru realized his left arm and right leg were frozen and ultimately immobile.

Rahvanna laughed a little walked up to him. Though he was much taller than her, she didn't seem to be fazed by it. "You wanna play with my friends?" she asked him.

He looked at her oddly, but didn't respond.

Well, I figured sooner or later those mutant creatures would come out. And, behold the trio of cute little squirrels, who would soon be grotesque. They trotted over to her and looked up at their enemy. They let out a slightly squeaky yet low pitched growl, then they attacked him. She stood there as the trio tore her opponent to shreds. There were some remains like bones, muscle and blood left, but that was about it. Those ravenous creatures were mighty fierce.

"Wow!" yelled Koto. "That carnage was spectacular! The winner is Rahvanna."

Most of the crowd was cheering for the fact there was blood spilt, and in massive amounts mind you.

Rahvanna's woodland friends ran off while she walked back to us. She just smiled when she came back to the group. None of us really said too much to her. Hiei just said his usual response and Kuwabara was a little freaked out. I didn't find it too surprising, though.

The next member of Rohkka walked up, and boy, she was super pissed.

"Kasumi is up for Rohkka!"

Most of the crowd booed her. I guess she wasn't a favorite. No matter. I was a little intrigued by her, so I decided, not volunteered, to fight her. I would have to do this sooner or later. I stepped up onto the ring and I got more boos than she did.

"Ready?" she asked us. When neither one of us responded she began the match. I think we stood there for the longest time waiting to see who would make the first move. Technically speaking, it was I since my strings were moving about her general vicinity. We were in a deadlocked staring contest. I think both teams were trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

I couldn't pick up on her energy, but that was all right. Once I got my cage set up, it wouldn't matter.

"Scared little girl?" she asked me.

_Okay, seriously, what is with all those types of comments?_

"Nope."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Perfect timing; I had everything set up, so the minute she took a step she would be upside down.

"You to move."

Her glare deepened and she jumped into the air. Better yet. I pulled my left hand back and hard and the strings gained some color as they locked her in. I just smiled at her. "Gotcha."

I watched her struggle but as she came into contact with a string, she got cut and those were burning hot strings, too, so I knew she got burnt in the process.

"What the hell kind of contraption is this?"

I pulled a different string and the cage got smaller. I figured it would be more fun to have it on the ring, so yanked her down to the stone. The impact made an audible crash as it came into contact with the stone.

I stepped closer and I knew better than to think the impact had injured her. Her head flung up and she shot something my way. My instinct overrode my brain and I threw my arms up and the blast hit the barrier of strings. It slid off and came into contact with her. I allowed it to pass through my cage, but it ripped through some of the strings that I had removed some energy from. She was thrown back into the wall and she made a nice impression.

It was seven into the count before she ran into the ring and began to throw punched and add some roundhouse kicks. I immediately went on the defensive and tried to find an opening where I could hit her. I swear we went in circles and at one point we were outside of the ring.

"I don't know if I should start the count…" Koto announced as she watched us exchange punches out side the normal boundaries.

She managed to kick me back into the ring. It hurt like a mother, let me tell you- right to the stomach. I rolled for a little then stopped. I stood up and brushed off as Koto began the count since Kasumi was outside the ring. She came back in no time.

I tapped my foot on the stone and waited for her to charge. When she did I did the same, but I jumped over her. She got to my former spot and fell into the invisible hole.

"Oh my! Where did Kasumi go?" Koto asked as she looked at me.

"Underground. She'll be there for a while."

Unsure of the ruling, the committee interrupted her wonder and ruled it in my favor. Three for Urameshi and zero for Rohkka. One more win and we were able to move onto the next round.

I walked off very happy at my first win, but I wasn't that happy that I had to use more than just my fists. I mean, I had to use it sometime, but I guess I wasn't expecting it to be this soon. Oh, well, I would get to watch this last round and off to a shower and some sleep. Yea!

The team leader stepped up and Yusuke followed suit.

"Nato versus Yusuke! Wow, this is going to be a good, bloody fight- begin!" Koto ran around to the other side in order to get a better look at the two competitors.

Those two wasted no time- they jumped straight into the fight and went at it with fists of fury and fierce elbows to the face. I could see most of the attacks, but when they started to pick up the pace, I was starting to loose track of each individual strike. I needed to work on that.

"Shotgun!"

I looked up to see a flurry of balls of energy. Nato was taken down and out of the ring by a few of the shots. He stayed down for a while, but Yusuke wasn't about to let his guard down just yet. Nato walked back into the ring and the flurry of punches began again.

For some odd reason unknown to me, both of them split and stopped at the opposite end of the ring. Nato fell backwards out of the ring and Yusuke jeered as he jumped up.

"That's right!" he laughed as he continued his random happy dance.

"What's wrong with Urameshi?" asked Kuwabara.

"Who knows," I replied.

After dinner, we tried to watch another movie as we crowded around the couch except for Hiei who took his regular seat near the window. This time we watched a comedy; again, I wasn't sure what it was. I actually got a seat on the couch, so I was very comfortable as I watched, what seemed to me, a foreign film.

The movie was an interesting two hours long. In that time period, Kuwabara went to sleep, Hiei left the room again and Rahvanna left not too long after that. I was left by myself with Kurama and Yusuke. Way to be awkward.

I didn't really talk to either one of them; I just let my mind drift into a little thought. I still had that question on my mind, the one Kurama asked me. I still couldn't answer it, and my curiosity was building. But there was one little problem: shocks. Gah!

I sighed heavily and left the couch. I walked into my bedroom to get a jacket and left the room completely. I decided a walk was in order in an attempt to try to clear my mind. I needed to sort a few things out while I was temporarily off-limits. I walked to the shore and walked along the edge of the sand and the near-still water. I wasn't too sure how far I had went, but I stopped when I heard clanging of metal and some mild laughter.

I hid behind a huge rock and looked around: I saw Hiei and Rahvanna sparring. It was very intriguing; their movements seemed almost perfectly in synch and like they knew exactly what they were doing before they did it. I was thoroughly amazed. I wasn't too sure how long I watched, but I knew it had to be for at least an hour or maybe even more.

They finally stopped sparring and they back away from each other. They both were breathing heavily. He sheathed his sword and she walked up to him. I felt wrong watching all of this but I think it was about to get better than a soap opera. They walked off for a little distance before she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through it. Both of them flitted off to somewhere.

Now that was something I was not expecting.

Since there was nothing else that was interesting at the moment I turned around and began to walk back to the room. It was a long walk since I drug it out. I drug my feet in the sand under the water. I watched my feet and not where I was going, so I bumped into someone. I fell back into the water and I heard laughing. I saw a hand being held out. Everything below my ribcage was under water; I looked to see whose hand was being held out to me- Yusuke.

He still laughed at me as I got up on my own. "What have you been doing out here for more than two hours?"

My mouth dropped open. "Two and a half hours?"

"Yeah. So what were you doing?"

"Walking and thinking."

I got pushed into the water again. I was completely soaked from head to toe now. I came up from the shallow depth and sat in the water since I figured I would get pushed back again. "What's that for?"

"Just trying to have some fun."

I got up and tackled him into the water. "No, this is fun." We rolled around in the water for quite some time. There were times when I tried to leave, but I was pulled back. The last time I tried to walk away, he pulled me into his lap and smiled.

"We're not done here," he said as he leaned forward.

"Yeah, I think we are. I don't think water and electricity mix well." I ruffled his hair and got up since he loosened his grip. "Come on, loser."

"Hey!" he said as he jumped out of the water. "We'll see who the loser is when I beat you to the room."

"I don't think you can," I said as I walked to him, standing right in front of him. "Gotta get past me first." I stuck my tongue out at him.

I drained my shirt of the excess water and flung some of it on him. He grabbed my bare wrist and I began to freak out and pull back, but nothing happened.

_I didn't get shocked… Oh my gosh, I didn't get shocked, but why?_

Before I could really grasp the situation to its full extent I was pulled in for a kiss. I had to stand on the balls of my feet to be level with Yusuke. For the past some odd weeks, he had grown about two inches. And, not as important, but my level of sand was lower than his.

I wasn't too sure if I was enjoying this or if I was just in shock. I just sort of when with it since I wasn't too sure what to do. I felt the oh so familiar emotions of confusion and oddly enough nostalgia. That latter threw me off a little. I shoved those into the back of my mind and allowed curiosity to overtake my mind for the few moments of freedom I had.

His tongue sliding across the wall of my mouth was almost unfamiliar. It had been some time since I had experienced that, and I guess I could say that I missed it. As if continuing the previous water affray, his tongue and mine partook in a 'violent' dance. It made me want to laugh.

And, when everything was going on so well, we both were delivered one hell of a shock. I got thrown into the water, and he was thrown into the sand. I sat up and rubbed the side of my face- it hurt the most.

"What happened?" he asked as he sat up. The right side of his face was a little black.

I just gave him a confused look as I tried to figure it out. Since I couldn't come up with anything, I just stood up and walked out of the water.

"Let's go back to the room now." I started to walk and I heard him follow. He eventually caught up and walked right next to me. We took the stairs instead of the elevator and made our way up to the third floor silently.

I have to admit, it was awkward, but I actually felt much better. I pulled out my key and opened the door. No one was up that I could see. Now I was wondering what time it was. I walked in and decided to leave my jacket out on the balcony. I needed to dry out and air out. It smelt like salt.

When I walked back in, no one was there. I figured Yusuke went to take a shower. I wanted to sit on the couch, but I was still a little wet, so I waited until he came out. I stood in the living room for a few minutes before I turned to face the bedroom door. Though I felt better, things were probably going to get a little awkward. Since I wasn't sure how the kiss occurred, I was certain that Yusuke would try to figure it out. He seemed to be all for it.

I sighed and I heard a door creak open. I looked to the hallway and saw Kurama walk out in his pajama pants.

"Good morning," he said.

I quickly looked over to the clock to see that it just changed to 12:00 AM. I turned my attention back to him. "What are you doing up so early?" I asked him. I thought he went to sleep a few hours ago.

"Your entrance woke me," said he as he walked over. "And, the fact that you smell like the ocean."

I just smiled at that comment. "Water fight."

He smiled, but it didn't seem one hundred percent happy.

"Something wrong?"

He snapped his head up and looked at me. His eyes were wide, but just his action made it seem a little odd.

"Nevermind my question," I told him before he could respond. I heard the water in the bathroom stop running, so I knew Yusuke was done washing the ocean and sand off him. "I need to wash the ocean off me. See you when the sun is up."

I walked into the bedroom and grabbed some different pajamas and undergarments. He walked out and I walked in, just like an exchange of some sort.

My shower was very short. I raced through it because I could feel the exhaustion crawling up my body. I turned the water off and rung my hair so the excess water could make a new home in the drain. I dried myself off and threw my clothes on. My eyes were getting very heavy and I wasn't even done drying my hair yet. I unlocked the door with my left hand and dried the right half of my hair. As soon as it was a little damp and not dripping, I moved over to the other side. My hair was a little frizzy from the towel, but I figured the pillow would fix that soon enough. I hung the towel up to dry and I ran my clothes through some water. I twisted them to get rid of the excess water and hung them up to dry.

I shut the light off and walked out of the bathroom. My head met my pillow and the rest of my body just ended up sliding into bed. I didn't bother wrapping myself up in covers; I was too lazy and tired. If I got shocked again so be it.

I closed my eyes and hoped sleep would grace me with its presence, but it didn't come anytime soon. I stared at the ceiling hoping I would get some sleep. Our next match wasn't until Wednesday afternoon, but I wanted some sleep so I could practice tonight. Maybe I could teach myself something new or improve something that I sucked at. I knew one technique I wanted to try, but I assumed it would take a lot of energy to sustain the illusion, so my mind bounced back and forth between the pros and cons of it. I think that was one reason I wasn't sleeping too well; my mind was incredibly active even though it was obvious that my body was protesting.

I rolled over to face Yusuke and he was sound asleep. I was genuinely amazed at that. He didn't seem that tired, but maybe that shock takes some out of you. Since I couldn't sleep, I got out of bed and walked into the living room. I didn't expect anyone to be in there, but Kurama was sitting on the couch. I think I interrupted his thoughts.

"Sorry, I didn't think anyone else was going to be up," I whispered to him.

He motioned for me to sit next to him by placing his hand on the cushion next to him and patting it gently. When I got there and sat, he spoke.

"I would not worry about it. It was not of great importance."

For some reason, I felt like he was lying, but I wasn't too sure how to call him out on it. I just sighed and leaned back against the couch. I smiled as I stared at the ceiling.

"Something amusing?"

"I'm entertaining a thought. I think I might have found a loophole in Mukuro's summons." I was thinking about what I previously said to Yusuke, about water and electricity. When I think about it, they're like compliments, so if something goes well together, it's kind of hard to interrupt it unless one source runs out. And, in the earlier case, the water dripped off us and there was no more. I think I'm beginning to like using my brain in these types of situations.

"What?" he asked me. He seemed shaken somewhat happy.

"Hold on," I said as I walked over to the bathroom he and three others shared. I grabbed one of the small hand towels and drenched it in water. While I walked back, I wrapped it around my hands, and when I sat down, I wrapped it around his hands. I placed the wet towel on my knee and grabbed his hands.

Nothing happened.

"See?" I spoke softly. I was so happy that it worked. It was still a minor set back, but at least I had someway to be able to interact with people. Now, I just had to always carry a container of water with me and maybe a wash cloth.

I let go of his hands since I could feel them get warm. The water was slowly dissipating. I saw him reach for the towel. No protest there; until he threw it at my face.

"Hey, hey!" I said in a half-normal tone. "What's that for?"

"This." He pulled the towel from my face and placed it on his. After removing it, he leaned in front me and kissed me gently. It was like a good night kiss, which led me back to nostalgia. I was beginning to dislike that feeling, but I wasn't even sure why it was surfacing in the first place.

When he pulled away I leaned against him and we both lay on the couch. He wrapped his arms around me and I kept mine close to me, that way we didn't get burnt. I was getting mentally tired now- the creative monkey and the ravaging random thoughts had calmed down and granted me some down time.

"Kurama," I said slowly. It was apparent that I was getting tired.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I sleep here, with you?" I was comfortable and I didn't want to move. Besides, he was very warm; warmer than the blankets I had.

"No, I do not mind."


	17. Inevitable

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Seventeen: Inevitable

My one day of training went by quickly and sloppily. I didn't accomplish what I had planned out, which ticked me off in the end. I worked on my accuracy for most of the day. It was beyond me as to why, but I hoped it would pay off in the upcoming fight.

The day started with sixteen teams, but by the time we were scheduled to fight there were twelve, I think. Our round was going on in one stadium while another round was in the stadium on the opposite side of the field. Again, we were in the dark corridor awaiting announcements. I wasn't sure who our opponents were since I didn't bother asking or paying attention to some of the other fights. I should have watched some yesterday, but I didn't feel like being around Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"And now," said the same voice over the loudspeaker.

I looked up toward the doors and threw all non-pertinent thoughts out the unopened window. As the doors opened we walked out and immediately noticed our opponents- Team Kyukatsuki. My eyes immediately shot over to Kagawa and her duo of skanks behind her. They were disgusting- their attire was embarrassing, personally. All of their dresses were super, super short and the tops were too deep a v, to be perfectly honest. I don't think they are here to fight; I think they are trying to proposition men.

"Team leaders from Kyukatsuki and Urameshi please discuss terms of battle."  
As they talked, the rest of us tried to pick our opponents. Rahvanna and I ended up picking Kagawa, but we knew we couldn't do that. We argued out reasons as the adjudicator announced the first match needed to be underway.

"Same as last time guys," said Yusuke without any interest.

The first member of the opposition stepped up. It was the girl who described me as a pencil… I think it was a pencil. I wasn't as interested in knocking her out, but since Rahvanna was in a stubborn mode, I knew she wasn't going to be changing her mind any time soon. And, we all knew Kuwabara wasn't about to fight her. My time came a little sooner than I thought it would, actually.

"For team Kyukatsuki, Hakura and for team Urameshi, Hatsune. Begin!" She backed away and stood in an excited manner as she waited for blood to fall.

"What's the matter, pencil?" Hakura asked me as she took a few steps forward and I took some back.

"I don't want to catch skank." I wasn't hitting nerves yet, but I was taking notes on her specific movements. She was precise and I was pretty sure she had everything planned out.

"Don't try to use those sharp strings on me, youngling. I have you figured out," she smirked and leaped a few feet, ending up right in front of me. I stared her straight in the face.

"Do you really?" I asked her as I flicked a few shards onto the ground, right at her feet. They exploded as I shielded myself. I shuffled back and stared into the dense smoke. When I figured she was gone I began to look around. It was odd- I couldn't sense her at all. I had her earlier, but it's like I incinerated her and I knew better than that. I made sure I didn't look obvious. I just stood there and waited for her to make her move.  
I heard shrill laughing all around me. Well, I was right about her not being dead, but I still hadn't figured out where she was.

"Oh, my dear, you're full of surprises aren't you? Well, so am I."  
Now she had me. I had no clue where she was or what she was talking about. I thought about answering her, but before I could even entertain the idea fully, I was punched across the face. I landed on the butt some feet back. I stood up and without taking a step I was punch multiple times, which landed me a seat outside the ring and right in front of my teammates.

"Ah, damn," I mumbled as I stood up and hopped back into the ring before I could hear the comments. Without fail, I took another hit, but this one was far stronger than the other one. She slammed me into one of the walls outside the ring. As she let go of me, I suddenly felt cold. I blinked a few times and pushed myself out of the crater formed by my own body. As I landed on my feet, I heard gasps and other expressions. I was a little confused until I saw Hakura waving a piece of cloth in the air.

"Missing something?"

I looked down and saw that my entire left side of my shirt save the stomach region had been ripped off. I was more concerned about my shirt than I was with her, which was probably bad, but I didn't care at the moment.

_One hella amazing shirt down the drain…_  
"You know what, chicky?" I asked her in a very plain tone.

She said nothing as she continued to hold up a piece of my shirt and smirk.

"Let's play." I charged her and tackled her into the ring and began to beat the life out of her. Once she realized that I had taken the initiative in the soon-to-be exchange of punches, she retaliated. Eventually it was an equal exchange of punches and we were quite literally running in circles. I'm not sure how it came down to that, but it worked for a while.

I tripped over one of the cracks in the stone and fell forward which made me miss her punch but allowed my stomach to get acquainted with her foot. Without her knowing, she actually gave me a small advantage. I used her foot to flip my body over and kick her in the face. Let's face it- I had the upper hand or rather upper foot. I rolled on the stone and she rolled in the dirt outside the ring, so the count started. I stood and waited for her to come back into the ring.

When the count finished and she no longer moved, I grabbed my dislocated part of my shirt and walked off the ring. I got two stares, two turned and one who was zoned out. It didn't matter to me at the moment. I took off my shirt and stuck the torn ends together as I let my string be a temporary thread. As soon as it finished I gently threw it back on. By then, the match against Kuwabara and Kaine had begun.

I was trying to watch the match, but my string was cutting into my skin and distracting me as I fidgeted a little.

"You okay?" Yusuke asked.  
"Yeah, just a little uncomfortable. Nothing important."

He didn't say much after that. Everyone just watched Kuwabara get his butt handed to him. Because he completely underestimated his opponent, he ended up upside down and no longer able to fight, so he lost. Of course, his opponent released him, but that resulted in him falling to the stone in a very painful manner.  
He crawled off and mumbled at the same time.

"What the hell?" Yusuke inquired.  
"Urameshi, he was a lot tougher than I thought!"

"Hn." Hiei walked up to the platform before Kyukatsuki could pick their next contender. He stood patiently as Kagawa took her place in the ring.

I couldn't see his face, but I think it was pretty safe to assume he could take this match with ease and still have a little fun with it, if he wanted to.

"Begin!"  
I could barely see a few flashes and randomly Hiei returned to the place where he stood just a second or two ago. I waited for something to happen, but as I thought Kagawa might take a step forward, her body fell to the stone in pieces, her blood spilling everywhere.

"Wow! The brutality is amazing, but it wasn't long enough!" yelled Koto. The crowd responded. "The winner, of course, is Hiei." The crowd cheered, probably for the brutality of the attack and the blood, of course. "The committee has informed me that there will be a short intermission- they want the ring cleaned before the matches continue."

We walked back into the hallway. Kuwabara and I sat on the bare floor while everyone else stood. I looked up and had entertaining thoughts run through my mind. Since it was quite, I decided to let the control slip and let everyone else in on the fun. My mind had just broken into random dance and song- there was no keeping the creative monkeys quiet.

I got confused and slightly worried looks from all of the guys except Hiei- he looked super pissed. Rahvanna took the physical initiative and began to dance like she was in a mosh pit. That was dangerous.

"What's that annoying shit?" asked Yusuke who was holding his head and slightly squinting his eyes.

I looked at him and showed disapproval. "That annoying shit is techno and it's epicly amazing, thank you very much." I turned my gaze elsewhere. I didn't appreciate that at all. For the time being, I didn't like him.

"All contestants please enter the stadium."

We walked back out and the fighter for Kyukatsuki was ready to go. He stood prostrate, with his arms crossed over his chest and his brown hair hitting his crossed arms.  
Kurama stepped forward and stood with his hands at his sides.

"Ooo, two hot guys in one match!" squealed Koto. "Kurama versus Ankiva, begin!"  
Her comment actually bothered me somewhat. I was paying more attention to the match than my mind in order to make sure nothing showed through. I watched every move and took in great detail of the battle that seemed more like a dance than anything else.

Kurama was very elegant, but there was a deadly air about him. I was trying to figure out what he was going to do, but I decided to just watch. What would happen would eventually come about, so waiting would eventually pay off.

Their fight lasted for quite some time before Ankiva fell over. He seemed very out of breath and he was sweating. Kurama looked, well… perfect.

"W-what's…" began Ankiva, but he couldn't finish his sentence as he choked and rolled onto his back.

The count began and ended, which made Kurama the winner of the match. Honestly, it seemed a little too clean to be gruesome, but I think he used some kind of poison- that was my guess. Maybe I would ask him later.

Yusuke ran up to the edge of the ring and jumped right into the center. I guess he wanted to get this over with. I knew Rahvanna wasn't too interested in fighting anymore since Kagawa instantaneous met her demise.

The team leader of the other team also set foot into the official fighting arena and without call, they began fighting. It was yet another flurry of fists and legs aiming for different regions of the body. I wasn't as interested in this fight, for the moment anyway. I mean, it was more a street fight than anything, and I've seen enough of those. I guess I was getting used to the gruesomeness of fights with demons. I don't know if that was a good thing actually.

I sighed and looked down at my feet. For some reason, I just thought about them and decided that I should look at them. I guess I was just trying to distract myself from the fight. Besides the boredom and other related topics, I was trying to prioritize things I should be worried about. I don't suppose this was the time to do it, but I was going through with it anyway.

Shortly after, I returned my attention to the fight still at hand. The leader of Kyukatsuki, whose name I didn't know, was being thrown around like a rag doll. I guess he had one too many hits. Sucks for him. I wondered what had actually gone on while I distracted myself, but I knew better than to ask that since I should have been paying attention. I watched the remainder of the fight, which really sucked because it was just Yusuke beating on the guy and no retaliation whatsoever. I guess I would have to wait until the next round for that.

"Team Urameshi wins the match!" Koto announced as Yusuke threw the Kyukatsuki leader outside the ring and to his only fighter that was standing and had not fought.  
We walked out without words or gestures to anyone or each other. Surprisingly all of us ended up heading toward the room. Rahvanna headed toward her room as did Kuwabara and Yusuke. I plopped onto the couch, Kurama walked into the kitchen to make everyone a decent snack, and Hiei sat in front of the window. As dullness set in, I got up and left without word. I decided to look around the island again. Maybe walk at the edge of the shore for a little bit.

I headed toward the water first. The sun was starting to meet the horizon, so I knew I couldn't be out here long before someone would come looking for me. I slipped off my shoes and drug my feet in the wet, thick sand. That was a refreshing feeling. I felt calm and more in control over myself at that moment. It was as if nothing could go wrong, but I knew very well that that particular notion would get me into serious trouble if I dwelled on it too long.

On my way back to the usual trail, I came across a trio of rocks that jutted from the ocean. I decided I wanted to sit on one of those for a little while before I returned to the room. I walked over as far as I could before I realized I had to swim the rest of the way. I wasn't that great at swimming, but my mediocrity was sufficient in respect to my desire. I pulled my wet being onto the oddly placed plateau and lay on it, stomach meeting the rock. I stared into the horizon and watched the sun set. It was absolutely gorgeous- I can't say that I've done this before.

I wanted to soak in every color that I was able to experience. I didn't realize that there could be pink and purple in the setting. I was completely over taken to the point that I didn't realize there was someone near me. So near me that he pulled me into the water as a form of a reality check.

"Never leave yourself vulnerable," I heard as I surfaced. I saw Koenma on the platform. "Yo."

I spit some water out of my mouth before I responded to him. "Hey, what's up?"

"I was on my way to talk to the team when I saw you here, so I made a quick stop to grab you so that way I could actually talk to the team," said Koenma in a very lengthy explanation. I'm sure it could have been stated in a shorter way.

"Cool, let's go." I swam until I could walk. When I hit nothing but sand, I waited for Koenma to float over. We walked to the room in silence. I was drying off using my super heated shield.

He opened the door and allowed me to walk in first. Everyone was in the living room area.

"Yo," he said to them as I took a seat on the floor.  
"Hey, junior, why are you here?" asked Yusuke who was preoccupied with some paper contraption.

Ignoring the comment, Koenma began to talk to us about the upcoming semi-finals. He mentioned our match that was scheduled on Friday was automatically given to us as a win since there was only one remaining fighter on Team Unagi-Soko. The semi-finals would begin on Monday of the upcoming week and the room arrangement would change. Since there would only be four teams, it would be one team per floor and a max of two people per room. As far as he knew, he didn't think we would switch, but it was a possibility.

"Also, the committee wants to have a formal meeting and dinner with the teams who made it to the semi-finals. That will be held Sunday evening, so you'll have to dress up for that. Do not do anything stupid there. I suspect, no, I know Yomi and Mukuro's teams will advance, so be aware of your surroundings."

Before he left he pulled me up and made me follow him out. I didn't ask questions or argue- I just went.

Outside the room, he spoke. "Mukuro's team has their final match Friday morning in the opposite stadium. You should probably watch it." With that note, he left.

I thought about it, but I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to go through with it. I mean, yeah, I probably needed to watch it since they may have sat in on one of our matches, but it would only show that I was weak since I didn't really utilize spirit energy. I had the entire day tomorrow to think about it, so I wasn't too pressed for time. I walked back in and resumed my spot on the floor.

"Hey, what'd the baby want?" asked Yusuke.  
"Nothing." It's true- he didn't want anything; he suggested.

He stared at me with slightly angry eyes. I just stared back blankly. I wasn't lying- he didn't want anything. I guess we were beginning to piss each other off and the somewhat sad part was we weren't spending that much time together or dating, so I wasn't sure where it stemmed from.

"What the hell is your problem?" he asked me.  
My mouth instantly went agape as I stared at him in shock. He had some nerve asking me that. "Excuse you?"

"Uh, hey, guys, maybe we should talk this out in a gentle manner?" Kuwabara interjected.  
"Shut it, Kuwabara," Yusuke yelled.

Like hell I was going to take this. He wasn't worth the energy it would take to argue this pointless shit, so I walked out. I decided that the plateau would be the place to go. I liked it there even though I had only been in love with it for about an hour. I took my sweet time getting there, too. I wasn't about to get pissed off over something like that.

I hopped onto the flat, now cold, surface and sat crossed legged. I released a deep sigh and leaned back slightly. I rocked from left to right as I hummed a few songs.

"Man, I wished I had brought my mp3 player…"

Regardless, I hummed away at many different portions of random songs that popped into my head. I closed my eyes and ceased my rocking as I leaned all the way back onto the rock. I stared into the profound night sky. It was lightless and a solid mass of navy blue. It was somewhat depressing, but it was indeed calming. I gazed into it and ignored the gentle splashing of water against the rock.

"May I join you?"  
I didn't have to turn to figure out who it was. "Yeah." I sat up and moved over so Kurama could hop up.

Silence prevailed for a few minutes. Kurama broke the ice with a question.  
"Have you thought about it much since we've been here?"  
In truth, not so much, but honestly, at this point, I was pretty sure I had it decided, but I wasn't sure if it was a just decision since Yusuke was annoying at the moment.  
"Not really. It crossed my mind a few times, but no deep thought has been applied to it." I stared forward as I answered his question.

My elbow was propped up by my knee that was pulled toward me. My face was cupped in my hand. My free leg was under the propped up one. My other hand was tapping on the rock as I waited for him to ask another question.

When it didn't come, I thought he was waiting for me to ask one, but I couldn't come up with much of anything for the moment. I guess I was stunned because I had so many unanswered questions, but they weren't coming out.

"Was your answer completely honest?"  
"Yes, actually. Koenma suggested something to me. He didn't want anything that I know of." This time, I actually looked at him when I answered. "And what was with Yusuke? Was he on his rag today?"

Kurama smiled at my inquiry. He ruffled my hair a little. "I admit he was moody, but I do not think it was attributed to that. I think he is a bit jealous."  
"Of what?" I asked innocently. Stupid me, of course.

Kurama stared at me in a way that made me regret asking that question.  
"Of this," he said as he pushed me into the water, but I made sure to take him with me.  
I laughed after I spit the water out of my mouth. "Hey, that was not cool!"

"You should be used to it by now," he said as he held me very close.  
I shift slightly so I didn't have to break my neck to look up at him. "I got my answer. You wanna know?"

Without response, he leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "I think I already know."  
"Do you really?" I asked playfully. I turned around fully and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"You should not be good at this."  
"There are a lot of things that…" I was cut off by his impromptu kiss. Like times past, I went with it, and at points, I think I welcomed it.

When we broke away, I used my body weight to push him into the water. He didn't go down very far, but it was enough for me to kiss his forehead.

"You're too tall, Kurama," I said with a pouty-like expression.  
"No, I believe you are too short."  
I stuck my tongue out at him. I was pushed against the side of the plateau and kissed again.

_Hm, note unknown number, do not stick tongue out- will result in kiss._  
It didn't really matter though. It had happened and I would probably ignore this mental note. I felt one hand on my back and the other intertwined with my left. We were pretty much in a zone of our own until a massive current smacked into Kurama and me, more so Kurama.

We broke it off and looked to see where it had come from. That's when another one hit it. I saw a large metal boomerang.  
This really sucked.

"Lady Mukuro will not be pleased," said the man as he caught his boomerang.  
I couldn't remember the guy's name, but I could never forget that face and the weapon, of course. I was incredibly upset; I didn't want to see him at all until the semi-finals or formal or whatever one I would most likely run into him.

"What is your business here, Shigure?" Kurama queried.

"Nothing specifically concerning you for the moment," he replied.

He turned his attention to me and stared me down, like he was hunting me. "As for you," he began, "your terms in the upcoming match have already been decided."

_Yeah, I had been informed of that, so why was he here raining on my parade?_

He stepped aside and behind him stood a tall, think boy no older than sixteen. His hair appeared to be brown or black, not too sure since it was dark. His white shirt stuck out like a sore thumb, but his jeans blended in with the surroundings well. He was pale. He brushed some of his hair away from his eyes, and that removed all doubt.

The young boy I saw was Katsuya, but not that one I had known.  
"Hello, mother. Can you really kill your own son?"


	18. Let it Out

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Eighteen: Let it Out

I got up bright and early Thursday morning, for multiple reasons. I wanted to watch Mukuro's team fight, but I also didn't get any sleep and was ready to punch Yusuke in the face like hardcore. He was still pissing me off, and I seriously wasn't getting why. Maybe he was experiencing male PMS. I didn't want to know if he was now that I had some time to think about it. As I bypassed the only two awake souls of the room, I waved at one and just noticed the other. I left and leisurely strolled to the stadium across the way. I figured I would have enough time to get in there and find a suitable place to stand.

The walk there was fascinating. I saw more plant life that I didn't see when I first got there. I walked up to one that was particularly colorful, just like the human eating version of the Venus fly trap. It was clad in shades of blue, red and purple. Really, it seemed quite beautiful, but I figured it fancied the trunk of a person, not the limbs, so I stayed at a seemingly safe distance as I admired it for a short period of time. I was curious- I wanted to feel the leaves and stems, maybe even smell it, but I knew I would get reprimanded if I were to survive its possible, brutal defensive attack. I just let it be as I continued walking. I might just have enough time to get there now.

Not only did I get there when they were announcing the teams, I encountered a packed stadium. I forced my way in and under many demons as they yelled at me. I glared at quite a few of them, and for the most part, they left me alone. Some made comments about me resembling a Mazoku. What a Mazoku was went beyond my knowledge, but that wasn't something I was concerned about for the moment. Let them talk.

I found a place near a pillar at the very top of the stadium. It was a good view, I had to admit. I waited for the announcer to finish her statement as I eyed both teams. It was Mukuro's team against Team Yaoshinwo. The outcome would be obvious- Mukuro, but I was interested since the opposition to Mukuro's team still had all six of their members.

"For Team Yaoshinwo, Amataiza, and for Team Mukuro, Tizu! Begin."

That Tizu guy looked like he was a member of the army or some sort of uniformed service. He looked mean and ugly, but from where I was standing, he didn't seem very strong. I would probably be proven wrong, but I just had to wait and see. I knew absolutely nothing about Mukuro and her team other than they like to screw around with me. He took the offensive and he was immediate. He claimed the first hit against her and she flew back into the ring making a small crater.

"Damn," I mumbled. He was going to be full of surprises, I could see that much. I continued to watch their match until I heard people whispering behind me. I turned to see them pointing fingers directly at me. I could hear some of the comments, and they were pretty much the same as before: something about Mazoku, but there were a few things added to it that began to piss me off- I heard two names that I wasn't interested in hearing at the moment: Yusuke and Raizen.

I glared at the brigade of demons who seemed to take a few steps back but not let their gossip drop. I didn't care so long as it didn't spread like wildfire. I returned my attention to my priority- the fight. I saw the army demon pounding the hell out of the martial artist. She didn't seem to be faring well at all. I'm not sure if she landed one punch or kick on him. He had this in the bag, and I don't think he used any of his demon energy at all. It was sad on her part actually. Her skill was precise, but it was slow and proper, and demons are precise as well, but to get anywhere slow was not integrated into their vocabulary. Not at all.

He knocked her out of the ring, and she stayed out. I think she admitted defeat. To be honest, there was nothing wrong with that, but the ridicule she received from her team mates was ridiculous. That pissed me off, the way they treated her. Gosh, she must want to die from that right now. If I could I'd shank them right now. I think my anger was getting the best of me.

I sighed and the natter behind me grew larger. I whipped around and grabbed the first demon in reach. I made sure none of my energy flared up. I was trying to save it for the semi-finals, and it was possible so long I didn't kill this guy and the group of morons. "What are you talking about?"

He gulped hard and began to panic. "N-noth-nothing!" He flung his arms and legs around a little as he tried to get out of my grip. His arms went to my hand, but I had him, so I wasn't worried if he wanted to claw the hell out of me. "You're burning me!"

I smirked. Not only did I have him under control, but I had some extra leverage to get him to talk and for the rest to shut up. "Answer my question: what are you talking about?"

"You! You're a descendant from Raizen, just like Urameshi, right?"

I dropped his sorry ass and scoffed at his comment. "Why do you want to know?"

He took in a few deep breaths before answering my second question. "You have physical qualities resembling Lord Raizen."

I looked at him oddly. I wasn't aware of anything that made me look like him other than the length of the hair. I had no fangs, claws, apparent markings or graying of my hair. "What do you mean I look like him?"

"Those markings on your face. They are similar to his. And, your hair, and your claws."

Looking down at my hands, I indeed saw claws. And, I didn't have a mirror, but I trusted his vision in that I had markings on my face. Since it had been a while, I hadn't noticed the beating of my heart. It was foreign to me. Royally pissed at myself for the slip, I turned around and watched the tail end of the second match. I calmed down enough so all but one of the marks went away. My claws were virtually gone and the fangs were dull now. My heart was faint, so it would be fine until I could leave. I knew at least one of the upcoming matches would get me riled.

"The winner is Kirin! Two for Mukuro and Zero for Yaoshinwo." Koto bounced around in excitement. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for some bloodcurdling action! I want to see some blood!"

With the end of her statement, Shigure stepped up onto the platform. No one from the other team dared to set foot on the ring. I could smell their fear from here- that was saying something. I knew he could bring on hell of a beating, so to be honest, I didn't blame any of them from not wanting to go against him. He was one scary son of a bitch, if you ask me.

"Team Yaoshinwo, send out a team member," Koto said impatiently as she tapped her foot on the ring.

"We forfeit this round," said the leader.

"Then you forfeit the match entirely," replied Koto. "It's in the rules."

"Fine." With that the entire team left the stadium and the crowd booed their departure. They wanted unseen blood, the filthy beings. But, I had to admit that I was disappointed. I came to see Shigure and Katsuya fight, but neither one got the chance. I knew I wouldn't see full potential, but I wanted to see something that way I would have a better idea of what I was facing. I didn't want to go into something vital blind. I would be scrambling and that would not enable me in any way shape or form.

Since the match was over, I left the stadium. Outside, I caught a quick glimpse of the winning team. I tailed it out of the area so I wouldn't meet them up close and personal. I dashed through the wooded area and straight to the room. I stopped short of the door and took a few breaths in. I had gone a little too quickly for my own good. I brushed the feeling off and entered the room. Everyone was sitting on the couch or floor. I guess something interesting was on. I closed the door and walked over to everyone to see what was going on.

"Was it interesting?" Kurama asked as he turned his attention to me. I sat down on the floor right in front of the left side of the couch, where he sat.

"Not really. I didn't get to see what I had wanted. The other team forfeited."

"Pity."

His pithy comment was correct. It was a misfortune that I hadn't seen those two guys fight, but it's not like I lost anything when I thought about it. I only had something to gain. I sighed and watched TV like everyone else. Nothing else was going on and I just didn't want to train at the moment. I wasn't sure what I needed to work on other than everything. I wanted to work on something specific, but I was at a loss now, so I guess going in blind would be the dumbest option I could go with, but I was really thinking about it.

I wasn't sitting too long before I felt extremely tired. I decided a little sleep might not be so bad since I would be alone. I got up without word and headed straight for my room. I didn't bother closing the door, let alone locking it, I grabbed a pillow and a blanket and slept on the floor. It felt good for the time being. I may change my mind later.

Some hours later, about sunset maybe a little after, I woke up. Sitting up, I stretched and yawned. I felt much better than earlier and I was definitely hungry. I stood up and took a few steps when the door was kicked open, more so open, that is.

Without adequate warning, both Yusuke and Kuwabara stumbled in brawling. I just stood there watching them. Since I just woke up, I was stunned by it. Any other time, I would have just ignored it and walked out. Confused and amazed, I watched their brawl evolve into a violent frenzy that ended up involving me. I got hit and was sent into the back post of the bed. I slid down it until I sat on the floor. My nose was bleeding and my upper lip was slightly cracked.

I looked up to see the two morons still duking it out. I huffed discontent and stood up. Walking into the bathroom, I grabbed a wash cloth and wet it. I cleaned my face off and stopped the bleeding. I filled two cups with water up to the rim and walked back out to the scene of the fight. I threw the water on the two idiots and they stopped. I glared hatred at them intensely. "What the hell do you think you two sons of bitches think you're doing?"

Kuwabara went from being furious to being concerned and slightly embarrassed. "What happened to your face?"

"You fuckin' punched me." I was very blunt about it. I showed that I was serious pissed at him and his fighting counterpart. "Take your childish shit elsewhere." With that said, I walked out of the bedroom. My face was slightly swollen around my nose and right where my lip was cut. I walked into the kitchen and went for the second first aid kit. I pulled out some liquid band-aid stuff and looked at it oddly. Not quite what I was going for. I was more interested in a small ice pack or something similar.

I heard the door open and feet gently walking in. I didn't give it much other thought as I looked through the small box for the desired item. The feet went into the kitchen and abruptly stopped. I was curious, but I had to put everything in the kit back, so I didn't look up until I was finished. I saw Rahvanna, clad in her usual black clothing, looking at me.

"What's up?" she asked me.

"Nothing much other than seeking out a small ice pack. Yourself?" I wasn't sure if I should ask about the latter part, but I guess it was almost habit to ask something that in return.

"Sucks and nothing much either. I just took a walk," she said as I heard the door open. Whoever that was didn't come into the kitchen. I heard one of the far bedroom doors close. I figured it was Hiei. I knew those two had something going on, but I was trying to figure out why it was being so secretive.

"That's cool," I said as a short comment trying to end the conversation. I wasn't sure that I wanted to ask that question. She left the room and I took a seat at the small table in the kitchen. I leaned forward and placed my head on the table. I was getting tired of this. I just wanted it to be next week that way it would be closer to being over. School was looking hella good at this point. Physics was really looking good at this point.

All of that reminiscing and comparing made me slightly sad. I chuckled, but it wasn't because something was funny. I was really just tired of this. I wanted to go back to a regular, not having demons running around everywhere, life. I lightly laughed and before I realized it, I was freely crying. Mortified at my sudden change of emotion, I attempted to control it, but I ended up making it significantly worse.

I felt that I had been picked up, but I didn't care to look. I had a good idea, though. I felt his hand slowing rubbing my back in a very comforting manner. Instinctively, I had wrapped my hands around my neck and rested my head on his shoulder. This felt so much better than wallowing in my pooling tears. I heard a door open and close and soon enough, I was place on the bed nearest the door. I let go of Kurama, but my head was still hung low.

"Get some rest," he said as he patted my head and left.

I sighed heavily and leaned back onto the bed. It smelt so nice, just like his bed home- roses. It was still subtle, though, nothing heavy. I rolled my head over onto the side and breathed in some of the scent. It reminded me more of home, which made me sadder and made me cry more. My one hand was under my head as a prop and the other was clinging to the bead sheets.

I could hear the outside conversation among the three guys. Kuwabara sounded like he was going to cry if he wasn't already doing so. Kurama sounded calm as usual, but there was something very unfamiliar to his voice (to me anyway) - annoyance. Yusuke was just loud and obnoxious, no surprise there.

"Kurama, I didn't mean to hit her. I swear it was an accident. I didn't even know she was there!" Kuwabara explained frantically.

I knew it was an accident, but I was just so pissed that it had happened that I snapped on both of them. I would have to tell him later that I knew he didn't mean it.

"That is why you apologized?" Kurama asked sarcastically.

I didn't hear Kuwabara respond, so I guess he was feeling super guilty about it. "I got caught up in our stupid quarrel. I swear I'll apologize to her! I'll do it now," he said the last part loudly.

"She is sleeping. Do it in the morning." Kurama was very dry with his statement. "As for you…"

"I'll just go sleep in that room over there," Kuwabara said near inaudibly. I assumed he was talking about the room I usually occupied.

Now things were going to get very interesting and intense. I almost didn't want to listen to it.

"Yusuke," Kurama began slowly, but he was cut off.

"Hey, before you start shootin' off shit let me get this in: I didn't do it."

There was a moment of silence that made me really nervous. I wanted to jump out there and just stop it before it even commenced. I was afraid of what would stem from the conversation.

"You did not do it? You did not make her cry?" he asked him harshly. "You did not give her a hard time last night? That is bullshit, Yusuke."

Woah, I went wide-eyed at his statement. I think I was more stunned that he said bullshit than anything else. I don't recall ever hearing him curse, ever. I had to cover my mouth so I wouldn't gasp at his statement. I wasn't taken aback that he was mentioning those things, but it was all so fast and new and different. Again, there was another moment of silence, but this one didn't worry me as much as the first one.

"I…" started Yusuke, but he immediately stopped. I guess he couldn't lie to himself or Kurama for that fact. (And unknowingly me.)

I heard foot steps leading away from the direction of the door and the opening and closing of the door. I guess Kurama got to him.

I rolled flat on my back and closed my eyes. I heard the door open, but I didn't sit up or open my eyes; I had no need to do so. I knew who it was, and I was supposed to be sleeping anyway, so I started on that process. I felt him sit on the bed and heard him sigh very profoundly. He leaned back onto the bed and pulled me closer to him. I faced him when he was situated; my head was against his rising and falling chest. I could hear his steady heart beat and I somewhat envied it. Even though my face was tear stained and I was still in an off mood, I smiled delicately. I was grateful that he made both of them rethink what had gone on, even though Kuwabara's was seriously a mistake.

I felt a kiss planted on the top of my head with a side of smile accompanying it. I was slowly getting in a better mood, and I was truly happy and thankful for that. I was about to thank Kurama, but he mentally hushed me long before I could start.

"_Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?"_

"_According to you, yes, I am."_

I heard him sigh gently as he slightly tightened his loose grip around my waist.

_"You do not have to thank me, Hatsune, just please, get some rest."_

_"No, I don't suppose I have to, but thank you anyway."_

It was early morning when I woke up. Kurama was still sleeping, so I knew it had to be really early. He was usually the first one up. I slowly and gently slipped out of his grip and left the room. I needed a shower, but I had to get clothes first and all of mine were in the other room. Oh yea…

I saw Kuwabara sitting on the couch. It seriously looked like he had a rough night.

"Hey, you okay?" I asked him as I waved a hand in front of his face.

"Huh?" he responded as he snapped out of his trance.

"Are you all right?" I asked him again.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, but I should ask you that. I'm sorry for hitting you. I swear it was an accident. It goes against my honor code and I shouldn't have ever done it, please, please, forgive me."

"Hey, it's cool. I know you didn't mean to. Apology accepted. Don't dwell on it." I waved it off and headed toward the room.

"Uh, it's not a good idea to go in there," Kuwabara mentioned.

"Why not?" I asked in return.

"He's really pissed. He's still brooding about Kurama's statement from last night."

"I'm just going in to get a change of clothes so I can shower. He can suck it up if he's got a problem with it." I wasn't sure if that was the best thing to say, but I was going to get a change of clothes even if I got hit for it.

My plan was to walk in and walk out, but I doubted it was going to be that easy. The walking in part went well, now I had to walk out with clothes and no exchange of words for it to be perfect. I got the clothes and right as I stood up to leave, I was hugged from behind.

"I'm sorry."

My facial expression was a mix of failure of plan and small shock. He struck me as a person who was very proud, thus I wouldn't expect an apology. I made a few faces aimed at the wall as I tried to think of something to say or if I just wanted to walk out. I turned around to tell him to drop his hold on me, but that was a big mistake. It was such a big mistake.

He pulled me very close and very tightly to his body and then kissed me.

As quick as I could process thought at this hour of the morning, I pushed him back with all the strength I could muster in a split second. "It doesn't work that way," I said as I left the room. I wanted to be slightly annoyed, but I wasn't. I just couldn't name what I was feeling at the moment.

I passed Kuwabara in the living room and he looked a little stunned. "Hey," he said catching my attention.

"Yeah?" I asked him.

He just stared at me. "Wow, you're all right. I figured an all out war would start if you walked in there."

I just shrugged and walked into the bathroom. I turned the water on and tossed my clothes off. I stepped into the warm shower and washed all my troubles away, so to speak. I generously poured shampoo into my hands and lathered it for some odd minutes into my long locks. (I seriously needed a haircut.) I let out a sigh since it felt very good to have something relaxing occur. There was too much hectic crap being thrown around this room. I couldn't wait until it was just two people per room. It would be so much better than everyone, well, it wasn't so much everyone as it was just Yusuke.

I didn't stay in too long after that luxurious shampoo. I turned the shower off and twisted my hair so the excess water would run out of it. I grabbed the towel that was with my clothes and I dried off. I dressed in jean shorts and a yellow tank top. I drained my hair once more before running a towel through it.

I walked out of the bathroom and quickly dropped off my other set of clothes near my bag. I strolled into the living room and took a seat on the couch. I grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. I flipped through some channels before coming across a soap opera. I guess I could watch it- it might make me laugh, who knows. A lot of stupid stuff comes up in these kinds of shows. My situation couldn't be worse than the current dilemma of some girl's boyfriend cheating on her for her sister, cousin, or worse- mother.

I beamed at some of the moments on the screen, but nothing was whole heartedly amusing as of the moment. Somehow, I was super occupied with the TV. I mean, this was stupid, boring, pointless, but it had unknown entertainment value. How peculiar.

Kurama sat next to me on the couch and joined me in the TV festivities. I felt something cold and wet being placed on my hand. I looked over and down to see a wet, small washcloth. I looked over to his approaching hand. It grasped mine and his fingers intertwined with mine. That held my interest, but I couldn't watch it forever, eventually I would have to avert my attention to something that moved, so back to the TV it was.

The show ended with some blonde girl running up to a tall guy in a black trench coat. She grabbed onto his arm and held on even though he was trying to push her away.

"Don't you see it, Raiya? I love you!" she exclaimed.

The guy looked away and gave his arm one good tug. She fell to the ground and he walked away from her.

"Raiya!" she called his name, her arm extended.


	19. A Formal Affair

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Nineteen: A Formal Affair

Sunday morning was eventful: that was musical room day. We were reassigned to the second floor and it was divvied up into five sections: four bedroom suits and a common area for lounging. Basically, the second floor belonged to us, which was epic and made me feel very safe. And, to top the sundae off, I got a new roomie- Kurama. It was for the better to be perfectly honest. Rahvanna and Hiei had no objection to being in the same room, and Kuwabara was nice enough to volunteer to be Yusuke's roommate. I secretly thanked him for that. (Koenma got his own room on our hall if he wished.) I didn't think I could be at the top of my game if I was in the same room as him without the rest of the team. One of us would be unconscious…

I figured the rooms would be the same, but massive renovations went on. Somehow I didn't know about it. Wonder how that happened. Anyway, not only were the rooms shockingly spacious, but they were very traditional Japan. I half fell in love with it. The only reason I wasn't completely sold was that there was no huge, fluffy bed. I don't know if I could get over that.

The bedroom was off to the right and I decided to check it out. Indeed there was no bed, but there was a small layer of very soft, silky padding on the floor and the pillows and blankets nearly compensated for the loss of a bed. Everything was white, which was a little asylum like, but it was all good. I grabbed one of the blankets and wrapped it around my thin frame. I held it tight and fell back onto the floor. It wasn't bad at all. The blanket made it comfortable and it was surprisingly very tolerable. I could get used to this.

"You just woke up," Kurama spoke as he entered the room.

"You have yet to experience the fluffiness of this blanket!" I squealed. I was in love with this blanket. I planned to take it with me when this was over.

He laughed a little as he sat down next to me. I saw him slide his hand down the blanket. I couldn't hear a thing- silky indeed. He stared at the blanket for a long time.

"Kurama?"

He looked over like he was aware of everything the entire time.

"Yes?"

"Uh, just making sure you weren't planning on going to sleep," I whispered. The blanket was winning. I was getting tired even though I only had been up for a few hours. I looked to the left and right for a clock, but I should have known better. "What time is it and what time is the get together thing?"

"It is half past noon and we need to be in the main lobby no later than seven, I think."

I nodded and rolled over. I snuggled with the blanket and smiled. Oh, this was going to be a fabulous nap. I yawned and quickly shook my head. I was succumbing to slumber quicker than I thought, but Kurama interrupted the process. I groaned in protest and I wasn't about to roll over to argue it out, especially when I could do it in my head. He shook me again and I repeated my protest. I just wanted a few hours of warm, fluffy sleep- I wasn't tired, but maybe drained. Lassitude conquered me for the time being.

He picked me up and carried me out of the bedroom. I was set on the couch and he left the room briefly. My head fell forward a few times, but I snapped it back up in an effort to try to stay awake. I stretched to try to postpone the next wave, but it failed. I think I may have made it worse because it hit me with more force. I almost fell asleep on that last one.

Kurama came back with a small plate of something. He sat next to me and started folding a piece of something over something.

"When was the last time you ate?" he inquired to me.

"I don't remember," I replied.

"Then it has been too long." He finished rolling up the food and he force fed me the unknown substance. I wasn't sure what to think of it. It wasn't spicy or sweet like I thought it might be. It was salty, slightly bitter, but it went down well. I didn't object to the food, but I didn't like the force feeding- I could do it myself. I just had to get out of the terrific blanket, and that I would object to. I was still chewing the third piece when he was about to feed me another one.

"Wooooah!" I managed to get out from a mouth full of food. I covered my mouth of course. I chewed a little faster and swallowed small portions. When my mouth was clear of masticated food, I asked him a question. "When was the last time you ate?" I put emphasis on the you.

"Last night."

"Then you need to eat, too!" I exclaimed.

He grabbed my blanket and I was twirled out of it. I lost my source of warmth and softness and I wanted it back so badly. I scooted over and grabbed it, but he pulled it away again until it lay in his lap. I leaned over and grabbed it, but I was pulled with it. My hair was sprawled over the entire couch, parts of the floor, and on his legs. I looked up at him and frowned lightly. My head ended up on his knees. I crossed my arms over my chest and continued to frown, but it turned into more of a pout than anything else. I assumed I wasn't being taken very serious since I was given another piece to eat. This time, I actually got to feed myself.

I ate in silence as I stared up at the ceiling. It was smooth unlike the last one- popcorn style. And this ceiling was actually white; the other was more of an off white cream. I usually don't notice these kinds of things, but lately I was beginning to seriously see the differences in everything. I could detect the smallest change in hue and it amazed me, but in the end, it left my mind with many questions. I raised an eyebrow at this new discovery and it caught Kurama's attention because he answered my unvoiced question.

"You'll get used to it. Demons see the world differently than humans."

I looked up at him and blinked. He at the last piece of whatever this thing was. I was actually glad he did. I was full. They were small suckers, but I think they expanded when they hit my stomach.

"What were those things? I swear they expanded in my stomach," I stated, and I think I knocked him out of his train of thought. It took him a while to answer. He looked at me oddly, like I was supposed to know what it was.

"You never had finger wraps?"

Finger wraps? Like finger sandwiches, but wraps… That was a new concept, but it didn't taste like it at all.

"Yeah, I have, but it didn't taste like one. It was very bitter and salty."

He blinked and nodded simultaneously. He moved me as he stood and I just watched him leave the room. I guess my statement disturbed him to some degree or he was going to get something that fixed it. I wasn't sure anymore. He had a lot of plant things that could alter appearances and taste and such, so maybe. He walked back in with a small purple square. Sitting next to me, he broke it in half and handed it to me.

"Chew it."

I stared at it and wondered what it would do. Maybe I could turn into a bird and fly! (I doubt it.) I did as I was told, but when I put it in my mouth, it felt heavy, like a rock. And when I tried to chew it, it indeed was rock-like. I clamped down on the piece, but it didn't even crack. Frustrated, I was about to walk to the bathroom to spit it out when Kurama laughed.

I looked at him with minor annoyance. I didn't think it was funny that I couldn't complete such a simple task. "What's so funny?"

He smiled as he told me that I was his source of entertainment. I stood up and spit out the block in the garbage. Walking back, I was still pouty, but it was all good at that point.

"You're not that funny," I said as I brushed it off.

He still smiled as he held out the other piece. I denied it until I saw him flattening it out. "This is the actual piece that you can chew," He said as he handed me the kneaded piece. I chewed this one, and it was successful. I wasn't sure what it was for until I saw my hair return to my natural brown and get shorter.

"Aiee!" I sqeaked as I felt my head get lighter. I was very happy- happy indeed. I just jumped with joy on the inside as I squealed. I was so happy that I had my hair back. I looked more human in my eyes and that was good enough for me. "Thank you! Is it permanent?"

"As long as you don't use any energy, you'll be fine."  
I was completely speechless and thankful that I was wearing a long sleeved shirt. I gave him a super excited energy filled hug. It ended up with both of us on the incredibly smooth carpet. I still clung onto him even as there was a knock on the door.

"One of us needs to answer that," he spoke quietly.

"Fine," I said as I stood up and hopped over to the door. I opened it to see Koenma and Kuwabara.

"Yo."

"Hey."

I stepped back so they could enter and I closed the door. When I turned back around, I was being stared at by the two guests. I knew why, but it really wasn't something new. It was my natural look, not the nonhuman hair.

"Anyway," Koenma began as he looked away from me, "we need to be at the occasion a little early. Each team has a quick briefing and we're second for that. Get ready, dress nice, and meet us in the foyer of this building in an hour." He nodded a few times and left the room. Kuwabara hung around the room until we were ready to leave. He mentioned Yusuke being a jerk, so we just let him enjoy the silence and every once in a while, rushing.

As soon as Koenma left, I grabbed a robe and walked into the bathroom to enjoy a moderate shower. I quickly rinsed my shoulder-lengthed hair. I was getting used to the long, black mop so this shower experience was a little off. I reached for my vanilla scented soap and took a big whiff of it before lathering it in my hands. Vanilla and warm water were pretty much the definitions of paradise right now, and I didn't want to leave, but I knew if I didn't get out soon, then I would be forced out of the shower.

I washed off and turned the water off as I hopped out and grabbed my robe. I threw it one and drained the water from my hair. I tied my robe and walked out. Now I had to decide what would be nice enough to wear. It would probably be the only dress I ended up bringing. I pulled out the purple dress and black flats. It would work. I set those aside as I searched for a bra and panties. I would be seriously annoyed if I couldn't find them.

They were all the way at the bottom of the bag and in a corner. I should have known. I generally shove them there or in the front pocket. I looked at the duo- red and black. How appropriate? It would have to do since I was running a little short on time considering my hair was still a wet mess. I slid on the panties and hooked the bra and headed for the dress. My robe was still on, but it wasn't tied and the doors weren't exactly rocket science, so I was hoping no one would walk in. I unzipped the back of the dress and stepped into it, pulling it all the way up so I could slide my arms into it.

There was a knock at the door and I looked over to it. "It's unlocked and I'm pretty decent." I turned my back away from the door as I zipped my dress up. Kurama came in.

"Sorry, I forgot my shirt," he voiced as he walked over to his shirt on the floor. It was black and had roses adorned on it. I thought it was pretty hot, actually. And, it fit him well. He walked out and I was left in the room again.

I grabbed my flats and walked out. I let my hair dry through faster means and sat down on the couch next to Kuwabara. I slipped on my flats and leaned back as I crossed my legs. I was a little concerned that my dress was sleeveless and that the straps were rather thin, but it was the only decent thing I had to a formal event. I'm glad I packed it. I loved the neckline to my dress- it was a v-neck, not a deep one either. It was rather moderate. It hit a couple of inches right above my knees and it was fitted, not super tight.

We conversed briefly as we waited for Kurama to walk out. He was only a few minutes. He wore that shirt I saw him pick up earlier and his slacks were a plain khaki. His shoes were black. Wow, how boring. Kuwabara wasn't anymore interesting. His attire consisted of a light blue button up and black slacks with black shoes. We three walked out and headed for the foyer of the building. When we got there, Koenma, Rahvanna, and Hiei were waiting for us. Rahvanna was wearing all black except for her shoes- they popped out from everything because they were red. She was wearing very vintage clothes. It was a little lacy and it appeared to be very intricate. The most lace I saw was on her arms- the sleeves were entirely lace and she ever hand matching lace gloves to go with it. Hiei was wearing the same thing he always wore. Koenma was in a suit. I thought that was a little too formal for the occasion, but since he was the team sponsor, I guess he had to look the part.

We waited a few minutes for Yusuke to show up, but he didn't. Kuwabara initially went to get him, but when he came back empty handed, Koenma went. We repeated the waiting process and when Koenma arrived empty handed and slightly disheveled, I was getting rather annoyed. I decided I would drag him down here even though I got protests from the two who failed and Kurama. At first, my gait was steady, but when I got to the second floor, I stepped into it running. I halted at the door and flung it open without warning. I stuck my head in and looked around. It seemed safe enough so I walked in.

"Hey, get your ass downstairs!" I yelled. I had no clue where he was, but this would be a surefire way to get him to come out. He came from his bedroom; he was buttoning up his shirt and had a tie around his neck.

_What the hell? I wasn't expecting this kind of attire. _

"What's with the monkey suit?" I asked him with a small smirk on my face. This just wasn't like him and he and I knew it. It made me rather curious.

He didn't say anything as he walked past me, his tie still around his neck. I just followed. The short elevator ride was in awkward silence. I leaned against the back as he stood right in front of the door. When it opened he walked out and a few seconds later I followed. Everyone who protested seemed to calm down when they saw both of us walk into the waiting area. We left to go to our briefing.

When we entered the main building, a team was going into the room where all of the teams would be seated. Kurama told me that the team that just left was Yomi's team. I just nodded. We walked in and we were seated at a square table. Some guy with rather long, wide horns was standing there in a suit. Other than the horns and bright blue hair, he looked pretty human.

The briefing took about ten minutes. He basically went over etiquette and told us that there was a strict no fighting policy for tonight. There would be plenty of that tomorrow. He also informed us that we would be sitting at a long table that would hold all twenty-four fighters, five tournament sponsors, and team sponsors if they chose to show up. We just nodded and left the room. We walked past Mukuro's team and I just glanced. I didn't want to see too much of them until this and especially the semi-finals.

When we walked in, we were shown our seats- we were special enough to have name tags on the table. We sat between members of Yomi's team, so it was a little awkward. The two next to me were in uniform, so I assumed they were part of his army or something to that effect. We waited a little longer and we sat Mukuro's team walk around to the other side of the table and sit across from us. I was getting very uncomfortable because for the entire time I would be here I would have to stare at Katsuya or look elsewhere. Talk about an awkward situation.

The last team walked in. I had no clue who they were, but I could assume they were pretty good considering they were here. They were seated and Koenma and the unknown team sponsor sat at the far end of the table, near the door. The tournament sponsors walked in and sat at the opposite far end. Their table shape was a semi circle that held all five of them. A large screen dropped behind them and it automatically turned itself on. There were a bunch of numbers on it that I didn't completely understand, but I'm sure those five goons would be happy to elaborate.

"Welcome, semi-finalists," said the man who appeared to be the oldest. His greying hair and bushy eyebrows were a sight… "What you see behind us are bets placed on each round tomorrow." He pointed to the screen behind him and went on to explain. "The favorable team, at the moment, is Team Mukuro, but trailing not too far behind is Koenma's team."

Everyone just stared blankly at the screen as they waited for the rest of the information that would bring light to this meeting.

"Therefore, those two teams will fight first tomorrow." I saw him smile. That jerk probably thought he was going to be bringing in the money with this fight. I didn't like him very much right now. Actually, I didn't like any of them, but he was number one on the list.

"Team sponsors will set out the rules for their round. And for the morning fight, it's rather simple; three things: Fighters for Mukuro pick their opponent, which they have done- they are sitting in front of Koenma's team; ring out or death are the only ways to win, and if a fighter from Mukuro's team wishes to add a restriction it must be passed by Koenma."

He really brightened my day, let me tell you. I knew I was going to have to fight Katsuya, but he could add restrictions now? Come on, that's almost a sure-fire way to win. Without being too obvious, I looked around to see who everyone else would be fighting. Kurama and Shigure were paired, Hiei and some guy in a uniform, Rahvanna had another suit as well as Kuwabara. Yusuke had a guy in a suit, but his was more adorned with medals and he had some funky rock mask thing on his face. I think the guy Yusuke was fighting was Kirin and Rahvanna had Tizu. Not too sure on that one, though.

"The matches in this order are as follows: Rahvanna vs. Tizu, Kuwabara vs. Moure, Hiei vs. Dajouya, Kurama vs. Shigure, Hatsune vs. Katsuya, and Yusuke vs. Kirin," said another man. He seemed to be the youngest of the bunch. He had very short brown hair and dull brown eyes. His eyebrows didn't resemble Leonid Brezhnev, so that was a good thing.

It was our turn to sit back and listen to Yomi and the others team's rules and match-ups. Their rules were very different from ours. They would roll dice for their opponents and the first team to six wins won. Ours was just a 2/3 majority. The only one alive would determine their winner and there would be no additional restrictions. How lovely.

The same man, who named our matched, named the members of each team. Yomi's team was equipped with Tora, Shura, Keida, Rou, Nomu, and Sazu. The revealed team, Murasaki, consisted of Ryu, Yanou, Futaya, Kike, Saya, and Mai. Oddly enough, they were all family, so that would make it interest.

The room was quiet for a while. I guess they were waiting for something or they ran out of things to say- I wasn't too sure about it. Maybe they were giving us time to digest this information. I sat patiently, but I could tell some of the other ones were getting a bit cranky. I guess they forgot their nap.

A bunch of servers walked in and placed a plate in front of everyone. They pulled the covering off and there was a piece of meat that looked like it was still alive, some weird leafy things and something slightly runny. I was afraid to touch any of it, but I think I was more afraid of not eating. I wasn't sure which one would conquer, but I would find out.

Much to everyone's dismay, Kuwabara got attacked by his piece of meat, again, but this time this one was more vicious. He jumped up and ran around the room. When you think about it, it's quite embarrassing. When he came around my side again, I reached out and grabbed the voracious steak. It had a piece of his shirt in its mouth. I set it down on my plate and it and my piece went at it. That was odd.

He walked back to his seat and just sat; his face was slightly pink at the cheeks. He didn't look at anyone, just his hands in his lap.

The man at the middle part of the semi circle cleared his throat and announced that there was time, if we wished, to get to know our opponents. Was he on something? You just don't get all friendly with them and they kill them for all you know. I mean, really? I had a feeling that I would get drug out there just because.

No one seemed to outwardly object and everyone filed out with his or her adversary. I could feel the anxiety attack coming on.

We walked outside and to the beach. I was slowly beginning to detest this, but no words were spoken, just walking and some more walking until he stopped and started talking to me.

"I intend to fight to the fullest extent and literal meaning of the word 'ring out'," he began. "My extension to the rules will be first one to set foot on the ground loses. Fair enough?"

"Fine with me." I just stared at him. I was wondering what he would do to try to get me to step outside the ring. I watched him stare at the water for a few moments. He picked up a few rocks and flicked them away, watching them skip until they just hit the water and sink. I blinked a few times. I had never been able to make it skip more than a few times. His was at least ten. No one likes a show off.

He turned around again and just smiled. That threw me off. Something was up and I was curious.

"Can you really kill me? Could you live with yourself?" he asked me again.

"I can and yes, I will be able to." To me, he was already dead, and I wouldn't be fazed by a dead body.

"Fine, I'll see you bright and early tomorrow," he said as he held his hand out. I took it and we shook. He left after the short 'get together'. I figured it would be time to head back to the room and get some sleep. I would need it for tomorrow morning.

I strolled back to the building and saw Kuwabara and Kurama waiting at the front doors. Both of them greeted me with a sigh of relief. I guess they were a little worried about me going off with my rival, but I don't suppose I blame them for it.

"Hey, guys," I said as I stopped when I was a few inches away from them.

"How'd it go?" Kuwabara inquired.

"It went… It was interesting." I just nodded my head as I spoke. "So, you guys are enjoying to cool air?"

"Nah, I'm waiting for Urameshi to come back. He's got the key to the room." Kuwabara slumped forward and frowned a little.

"And you?" I asked Kurama.

"Waiting on you," he said. We said good night to Kuwabara and walked up the stairs to the room. He opened it and we walked in- I headed for the couch and ungracefully plopped onto it. I slipped off the flats and leaned against the massive armrest. I sighed. Sleep was looking pretty good right now.

I groaned when I knew I had to get up to get to the fluffy blanket and bed on the floor. I slightly trudged to the room and grabbed an oversized sleeping shirt. I unzipped the dress and slipped out of it as I threw the shirt on. I tiredly walked over to the bed and pretty much fell on it. I grabbed one of the blankets and wrapped myself in it. I rolled around until I got comfortable and Kurama came into the room at that time.

He laughed when he saw me. I was all bundled up and all the way at the far edge of the bed. He lay down and grabbed the end of my blanket. I rolled over against my will until I was near him. I inaudibly mumbled and he scooted over closer until he could hold onto the blankets that enveloped my body.

I smelt the scent of roses and vanilla mix together and it was intoxicating. Something smelling this good should be illegal. It was a human's version of catnip. Illegal Paradise- that's what I'll call it. I took a few whiffs of the inebriating aroma and I smiled.

"G'night," I mumbled from the blankets that my head rested against.

I felt his grip tighten slightly, but no words were needed for the action spoke clearly.

_My lovely Illegal Paradise will lull me to sleep…_

**A/N: Sorry about the boring chapter. I had a hard time with the transition, so this is it. Also, it would have been up sooner, but the FAFSA is an evil thing created by the government to bring headaches upon the working class.  
The coming chapter will be more interesting because they are the semi-finals.  
Please enjoy. Please read. Please review.  
I thank Kaori Minamino and Layla Ling for reviewing constantly. You two are pretty much awesome.  
**


	20. The Semi Finals, Part One

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Twenty: The Semi-Finals, Part One

Six in the morning was not only the classic bright and early, but it was beautiful. The sun was magnificent, the temperature was just right and the breeze was moderate. There was just one thing to spoil the day: the semi-finals. Killing people always put a damper on my day. I rolled out of the blanket and crawled over to my bag. I pulled out black hakama pants, a green undershirt and a white wrap with a green sash to be tied around it. Well, the pants weren't really hakama styled, but they sure looked like it. They tapered at the bottom instead of being all out. I think it was the top of the pants that made me think of hakama- the tie and design of the top were pretty much ripped off the hakama and put on these.

I got up and clumsily walked into the bathroom. I took a five-minute shower and brushed my teeth. Everyone likes squeaky clean pearly whites. Maybe I could blind Katsuya until he fell out of the ring. I was about to stroll out when I realized I had forgotten my robe. Very smooth move. I didn't think it would be so bad until I heard a knock at the door. I couldn't get to it for obvious reasons, so I figured when Kurama got up to answer it, I would bolt out and run for the robe. I knew it was somewhere next to the duffel bag.

I heard the door open, and I ran for it. I ungracefully dove into the room and tackled my robe. I threw it on and hopped up. By then, whoever was at the door had left and Kurama came back in. I just sat on the floor awkwardly and he didn't pay too much attention to me. I mean, it was really early in the morning.

Another knock came and this time, I got up to get it. I opened the door and lo and behold it was Yusuke and Koenma. I let them in and waited to see why they were here. Koenma piped up quickly and explained that the two of them need to borrow Kurama. I just pointed to the bedroom and he walked over there.

There was silence between Yusuke and I, but that wasn't any surprise. I passed him as I walked to the couch to take a seat. I crossed my legs and leaned back, head falling to the top of the couch making me stare at the ceiling. Again, the color bothered me because it wasn't white.

I felt something incredibly light fall onto my knee. I looked forward to see a folded piece of paper. I grabbed it and stared at it for a moment. I looked at Yusuke who seemed to know nothing of it. Koenma and Kurama walked out and without another word the trio left. I was alone, so I figured I would read it. I opened it up and immediately looked at the end of the note- no name. I figured I would read it from the beginning and give it a chance before I tossed it aside.

_I'm sorry._

What a pithy note… And, why could he just say it? No time for this matter; I needed to get dressed and eat something before heading out to the stadium. Eight was the magic number, so I probably had to be there a little earlier than that. I went into the bedroom to dress, but I ran into a problem with the pants. They were slightly loose, so I decided to go against them. I pulled out skinny jeans instead. I knew they weren't going to go anywhere, but it wasn't appropriate wear for the ring. Oh well. I pulled those on and stayed with the green undershirt, but I threw on a short sleeved, black scoop neck over it. I got some socks and shoes and put them on and tossed my hair around a few times before tying it back into a ponytail. I was part way there. Now it was toast time. I walked into the small kitchen and looked for some bread. There was none, so I sought out something else. I had a choice of crackers and peanut butter or applesauce and Jell-O. I went with the applesauce only. I had about one cup give or take and I was content with that amount.

I walked out to check the clock in the bedroom. It was 7:25 in the morning and it would take me about twenty minutes to walk to the far side stadium, so I guess it was time for me to go. I grabbed the key that Kurama left on the stand and walked out. I took the stairs and proceeded to move out of the building. I took the normal path through the plant life. I stared at the usual ones, and I didn't see anything new until I reached the end of the vegetation. It was blaze orange and it was vast. If I got too close, I think it would be able to eat me alive. I was torn between staring at it and wanting to touch one of its leaves.

I took a few steps back and turned to walk away from it. These plants were interesting, but I liked the way I was. While in the process of turning, I noticed Rahvanna walking my way. I wasn't too sure if I should wait for her since I didn't know what mood she was in. I didn't want the crazy, hyper Rahvanna- the aloof one would do just fine right now. Before I could fully decide what to do, she saw me and ran my way.

"Hey!" she called out to me and ran even faster until she was a mere few inches from my being. I swear all she had was black clothing- black v-neck, black tank, black skinny jeans, black shoes, black jewelry.

I nodded and motioned for her to walk with me. We needed to get to the stadium soon. We walked together in silence for a while, but she struck about conversation about things pertaining to America and Philadelphia especially. We had a grand talk about bands and social outings. We even laughed at a few jokes that probably wouldn't make sense to anyone here.

We got to the stadium ten minutes before show time and our conversation diminished quickly. We walked into the dark hallway in silence and we joined the team. They were silent as were we, so we didn't bother announcing our arrival; it was pretty obvious by now. We concentrated on what we needed to for about ten minutes. I was distracted by a trailing thought until the doors creaked open. We six walked out and from the looks on most of our faces, we didn't seem ecstatic about this round. Wonder why…

"Welcome all demons and humans alike! I'm Koto, your hostess for the first round of the semi-finals!" Koto screamed into her microphone as the crowd cheered loudly. "Rules and matches have been predetermined, so let's get those on the big screen and let's get this party started!" More noise erupted from the crowd and I could have sworn some of them jumped out of their seats and began to throw things out of excitement, disgust, both or neither.

Rahvanna stepped into the ring and her adversary Tizu followed suit. They took their stances and Koto announced the beginning of the fight.

For the first few seconds both of them just stood there, waiting for the other one to make the first move. It was intense. It was serious. Until Rahvanna began to dance around the ring anyway. She did pretty much everything she could probably have thought of- electric slide, white boy, macarena, the tango (by herself), some ballet moves, and other things I didn't recognize.

The chatter of the crowd died down during his odd session of dances. Most of the watched to see what she was planning to do, but so far, she just made herself look like a complete fool. Even I got bored watching it for some time. She had something up her sleeve, but the question was when was she going to do something other than dance.

Her dancing spree continued for a few minutes and she randomly halted her odd grace. She stood prostrate and still for a little while and massive ice shards erupted from the circle that she danced. She pulled out a metal sword hilt with about half of the blade on it. Ice crept from her hand onto the sword and formed a much longer one.

Her environment radiated cold air. It was somewhat pleasant, but when she charged, the wind picked up. It about swept me off my feet- it was that strong. I could see a frenzy of swings, misses and running around, but they were going to fast and the ice was distorting some of the images so I couldn't really see what was going on. I did manage to make note of a few things though. Tizu seemed to have the upper hand in this match. He wasn't really putting that much effort into his attacks, almost like he was getting bored.

The constant swinging was annoying the crowd since they were screaming for blood. Their incessant want was obvious by now and it echoed throughout the stadium, so there was no need to say it again. Their echoes would speak for them.

Unexpectedly, Rahvanna withdrew her icy environment and threw her sword aside. Tizu looked at her oddly and she just shrugged her shoulders, as if she didn't care about the outcome of the fight. She just tapped her foot on the stone until seven woodland creatures came to join her. They seemingly harmless squirrels were by her side and chatting about something in their own language. Apparently she understood it since she kept nodding. She snapped three times and all of the squirrels fused into one immense mutated beast. It had drool dripping from its mouth and its eyes were bloodshot and bulgy. When it took its first steps, craters formed. Its target was Tizu, but the army member didn't move from his spot. He watched the overgrown beat intently and when it was close enough, he punched it out of the ring. It began to dismember and seven squirrels with minor injuries ran off.

I was a little concerned at this point. It seemed like Rahvanna was all out of the fun tricks. Gosh, I hope she didn't decided to turn into the crazed girl and rampage around the ring until she got knocked out or she knocked him out. There would be fun afterwards if that happened.

Rahvanna pouted and crossed her arms. She waited for him to move, but it took a while. He took a step forward and she stood her ground. Another followed a few others and in a minute's time they were inches apart. No one had any clue what they were doing, but Tizu did. He stomped on the stone and Rahvanna's part broke away. She didn't seem fazed by it until the stone turned red. She began to alternate feet as she jumped. She continued to do it, but when she got to the edge nearest the ring, she jumped for it. She made it barely, but Tizu was prepared for it. He ran over and punched her out of the ring. She hit the ground and Koto called it. Mukuro's team was one up on us.

I really thought Rahvanna could take him, but I guess that's what happens when you're on hot coals.

She got up and walked over to us. She was not in the mood and she frowned deeply. Mumbling a few things, she sat on the ground and had her arms crossed over her chest. She was livid about the outcome, but she only had herself to blame. I think she underestimated her opponent.

"Hey, guys, wish me luck," said Kuwabara as he jumped into the ring.

"If only luck could win this," I mumbled.

"Hn."

Moure stepped into the ring with loud thuds. His armor was very heavy and he wasn't a scrawny little thing either. Even though most of us could feel Kuwabara was somewhat nervous, he didn't seem to show it.

"Second round, Kuwabara vs. Moure, BEGIN!!!"

The audience erupted into a chant consisting of only Moure's name. A few random people said something along the lines of 'Kill, Kuwabara. We want some blood', but they weren't the dominant ones.

"Go, Kuwabara!" yelled a few small voices.

The entire team turned in that general direction and saw Botan, Shizuru, Yukina, Keiko and Koenma.

"Yukina, my lo," Kuwabara started but got punched in the face in the process. He hit the stone and jumped up. He summoned his spirit sword and lunged into action. He swung a few times and Moure dodged most of them. He wasn't that fast so a few hit his armor and left small cracks. Nothing to be too concerned about until one of the chest pieces fell off and hit the stone in tiny pieces.

Moure jumped back and looked himself over as Kuwabara charged him. He landed a hit, but not in the place he had intended by the look on his face. He hit the arm piece not the exposed chest. He withdrew and stumbled back a little. Moure sent a glare his way and ran forward. He had a long, rusted sword in hand.

"If he's not careful, he'll need a shot after this," I mumbled.

Kuwabara danced around the thrust of each attack until he got to the edge. He felt the sudden change and twirled around so that Moure was the one who was nearest the edge.

"Why don't you push me over the edge?" Moure asked him.

"Because I'm not stupid. I know what you're planning to do!" Kuwabara snarled at him. "I have to win this fight." He stepped back and waited for Moure to attack him. In an instant, he attacked and Kuwabara was on the defense. He took steps back and his opponent took steps forward.

"He's got a plan," Kurama said silently.

I looked up at him and wondered what it would be. I hadn't an ounce of thought of what he could do.

"Fox, if he's not careful, he'll get himself thrown out as well," Hiei said to Kurama.

_Fox? I still don't know what that means._

I looked over to the crowd of girls and Koenma and they were cheering hard for Kuwabara. Shizuru had taken out some lowlives who were disrupting their chants. She was still stomping on one of their heads. Botan's sign was an icy blue and the writing was in black, so that way it could be read. It said, 'Win for Yukina!'. I guess that was enough of a motivation for him.

I turned my attention back to the fight and Kuwabara was slowly getting out of the defensive mode. He threw in a few attacks, but those didn't seem to do any good. He took a step back, getting closer to the edge and watched as Moure charged him. He didn't move.

"Kuwabara! What'd you think you're doin'?" yelled Yusuke.

Ignoring the question, Kuwabara held the guy off like a linebacker until he felt his foot on the edge of the ring. He turned quickly and released Moure and his shirt with him. He just leaned forward and it slid right off as he let him go. He jumped up and down and grinned largely as he gave us our first point.

"Kuwabara wins the point for Team Urameshi. One to one!" yelled Koto. "But, seriously, where's all the blood?"

The crowd exploded in response to her question. They wanted blood and they wanted it now. And, at this point in the game, they just might get it because Hiei was up next. Dajouya was waiting for him in the ring when he stepped up.

"Okay, blood lovers, it's Hiei vs. Dajouya and I know we'll get blood in this cutthroat and ruthless fight! So without anymore wait," Koto started, but the officials who made an appearance on the big screen cut her off.

"This match will be delayed five minutes," said the oldest man.

Koto slumped forward and relayed the message to everyone over her microphone, which angered the crowd. Hiei's 'hn' was barely audible over the protesting yells. Dajouya wasn't fazed by the announcement.

The five minutes were spent in light conversation.

"So, you think he's gonna win it?" Kuwabara asked.

"Well, yeah, it's Hiei," Yusuke replied.

Kurama sighed at their shallow conversation. He looked over to me and posed a question. "Nervous?"

"Slightly, I guess," I said as I rocked back and forth on my feet. I guess I just wanted to get my fight over with. I didn't want nervous and worried painted on my face in pretty colors, but I couldn't deny the fact that this made me fidgety. To get my mind off me, I asked him a question. "How do you think you'll do in your match?"

"I cannot say for sure."

Wow, just the reply I was looking for. He made me feel much better about my upcoming match. I just nodded and continued with my unstrung habit. I heard Kuwabara and Yusuke disagreeing about something, but I wasn't about to get into it this time. When I accidentally stumbled upon it last time, it didn't end so well.

Five sets of feet approached us and we turned to greet the girls and Koenma. They exchanged hugs with most everyone and they began to talk to us. There were questions galore and many very hyper squeals of joy. Shizuru seemed to be the only calm one and she was occupying Rahvanna's time. Keiko had slapped Yusuke once or twice already. Kuwabara was too busy drooling over Yukina and Botan was talking to Kurama and me.

"So, how's it going over here?" she asked us.

He nodded and I replied, "Fine. Wonderful. Great. Amazing."

"You don't look so fine, wonderful, great or amazing," she replied.

"Nervous, twitchy and hyper?" I replied in a question-like manner.

"That's the spirit!" She threw her hand up and brought it back down right in front of my face. Her two fingers made the peace sign. Oh joy. I nodded at the sign of greatness but I also leaned back a little. I wasn't interested in a zap right now.

Our conversation kept on truckin' until Koto hopped back into the ring with good news.

"All right, you blood lovin' fans, here's the match you've been waiting for. Hiei vs. Dajouya, BEGIN!" she jumped and squealed as she backed away from the fighters to give them some room and for her own safety as well. She leaned forward in anticipation and watched every single detail.

Hiei pulled out his sword from the sheath and swung it countless times. He sheathed it and just stared at Dajouya. A few seconds later, the entire armor fell off his body and it revealed a beaten and bruised soldier with a moderate build. Some parts of his body were purple and black, but for the most part he was brown.

"Oh, look what you've done. Now I can't go easy on you," he said mockingly as he held his hands out in front of him. They formed a circle and maroon energy began to collect in the empty space between hands.

"Hn." Hiei stood there with his arms crossed as he watched his contender gather energy. "Wouldn't want to you over exert yourself." He continued to watch him. Dajouya's energy gathering took a few minutes and the crowd angrily responded to the lack of blood in the arena.

Dajouya charged at Hiei and stopped short as he released the ball of energy. Hiei stood firm and took the hit. Smoke and a bright light exlpoded from the site and Dajouya laughed. Pieces of the white cloth could be seen floating to the ground and his cloak was deliberately thrown away from him. The smoke tempered and Hiei appeared to be unharmed, but his opponent was probably going to end up dead. His jagan eye made an appearance.

I stared at it. Both Koenma and Kurama briefly mentioned it to me, and I knew that it meant trouble for his competitor, which was good for us. I waited to see what would happen. I wanted to see something pretty epic, and I think he would be the first one to serve it.

"Wow, folks! Hiei withstood a full-on energy blast from Dajouya! I love it, but where's the blood?" Koto demanded as she leaned very forward, to the point where she could have fallen over.

"Impossible," Dajouya stated. "You should be in pain right now."

"You underestimate me, fool," Hiei started off. "Allow me to show you real pain- from the depths of Hell itself."


	21. The Semi Finals, Part Two

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Twenty-One: The Semi-Finals, Part Two

I leaned forward to see what Hiei meant by pain from the depths of Hell. I was curious. I had only really seen him with his katana, so I was about to get schooled. I looked over at Kurama who just motioned for me to watch the fight. I guess I would get all of my answers from there. I paid attention to the stillness of the two of them. I could feel mass amounts of heat emanating from Hiei. It was about to get pretty hot in here…

I backed up a little, but still paid a good deal of attention as Dajouya charged Hiei, who happened to be in the same spot though his adversary moved. I found that a little odd. Dajouya was picking up some speed, but Hiei stayed put. Suddenly, Hiei's fists were covered in dark purple and black flames. He took a few good punches at Dajouya before the army man decided it would be a good time to back up quite a few feet. Those few steps back were more qualified as stumbles. Dajouya was standing, but I didn't think it was going to last much longer. He was getting a little ashen.

I blinked a few times after the initial attack. Hiei wasn't burnt at all, but Dajouya, well, let's just say he wasn't so hot anymore. He had bruises and blood and he was a little shaky. I could see the onset of tiredness in Dajouya. The crowd went wild for their first sight of blood; it wasn't much, but it worked.

"I told you do not underestimate me."

Dajouya was breathing heavily as he took a few steps forward. Hiei matched those steps and he pulled out his katana. He lunged forward and swung it around a few times. Stepping back to see the oncoming damage, Hiei watched as Dajouya fell into tiny, square pieces. A small gurgling sound could be heard from the pieces that piled up.

Koto blinked a few times as she saw the blood pool around the victim. At the sight of it, she jumped for joy and announced Hiei as the winner. Two to one; we're pretty awesome right now. Hiei walked back to our small group and was relatively calm. Kuwabara had a split look of happy and disturbed and Rahvanna's was quite the opposite of his latter: she was ecstatic. The rest of us were neutral.

"Hn. Weak fool."

I was super nervous now. The upcoming fight was Kurama's and I could feel my stomach doing back flips and getting knotted up slightly. I wanted to throw up, it was getting that bad. It wasn't my fight and I was about to have a panic attack or something.

Kurama stepped up onto the ring and Shigure followed him. I watched intently, but I had to put my head down for a brief moment to collect my panic attack. I was worried about him and nothing had happened yet. Yusuke walked over and stood next to me. I just assumed it would be a better view until he started talking to me.

"He's gonna be fine," he started off. "He can handle this, so don't freak out about it." His voice was very calm, almost soothing. It was slightly refreshing since we'd be avoiding each other, in essence.

"I think I'm more worried about a heart attack right now," I mumbled. I felt my heart lurch forward and begin to beat incredibly slowly. I lift my head up and nodded at Yusuke.

"Besides," he started up again, "it's not like he's gonna do a lot of damage to Fox-boy."

I shifted my weight onto my right leg and leaned slightly. I stared at him with annoyance and amazement at his statement. Did he not remember what he did? I let my face show my prominent exasperation and the classic 'you didn't just say that'. He deserved it and I could tell it was working. He raised a nervous eyebrow at me, but said nothing. Maybe he realized what he had said. He looked up to the ring.

Returning my attention to the fight, I reset my shift in weight so that I was standing up straight. I took a deep breath in and watched the fight commence. I noticed that this wasn't a large stadium, so Shigure's boomerang thing was very lethal at this point. That worried me to a great extent.

Kurama took a rose out of his hair and held it perpendicular to him, about eye level, maybe a little lower. Shigure unlatched his signature weapon. I took notice in that and the fact that he had more piercings than I could count. They stayed locked for a few moments before Shigure took the first step forward to unleash his unbiased blade. It was aimed for Kurama, but he easily dodged the first attempt. He hopped and flipped around to avoid the other instances, but one caught the side of his arm. Blood shot out of the open flesh wound, but it didn't stop him. He summoned his rose whip and cast it at Shigure, he dodged, but his bell separated from the chain. It dropped to the floor and rolled a little bit.

Again, I blinked. I wasn't too sure what else to do other than not distract him. I was beginning to hate just watching from below, so to speak, but until I stepped up onto the platform, that was all I could do.

Another cast of the boomerang was delivered and unfortunately Kurama couldn't avoid this one. He took a hit to his right side, and it wasn't a shallow one. Blood rushed from it and fell down to soak his clothes and drip onto the stone. He still stood, but it didn't exude confidence as it did in the beginning.

Shigure smirked and took a few steps forward to close the distance between them. Kurama took a step or two back until he felt that he was at the edge. That was my guess. That or he had a really good plan. He let go of his injured side and crossed his arms out in front of him. Smoke flooded out of his sleeved and nothing was to be seen for quite some time.

I didn't stare into the opaque mass. I just listened for some form of movement or attack, possibly the result of an attack. It was still for quite some time; that's when Koto popped out of the thick fog and began talking.

"Well, I obviously can't see what's going on in there, but I don't think it's much," she stated. Way to be.

Randomly, I felt a loss of one energy source. I looked up to the filmy air and nothing seemed to change until I saw sparks emerge from it. They were strong and well pronounced. My classic blinking occurred mainly because I wasn't sure what was going on. The majority of the haze passed and I saw Shigure, but the other person I saw was not Kurama. There was a very tall fox with silver hair and clear, golden eyes.

_Fox… Fox-boy… Kurama…_

Click. Even though I had made a new discovery, I tried to play it off like I already knew it (to the crowd, anyway). So, I found the true meaning of fox, quite literally mind me. He looked very intimidating and very cold. He struck me as the evil alter ego of Kurama, kind of like the evil twin concept.

Koto hopped back into the ring and resumed the fight. I could tell she was excited about Kurama's transformation.

"Wow, Youko Kurama has made another appearance! This just keeps getting better and better," she squealed.

Another appearance? Well, people did mention something about a Dark Tournament, so I guess that would make sense. Curiosity took over and my mind began to think about the damage that he could do- Youko Kurama, that is. For some odd reason, my mind delved into the most morbid thoughts that I had ever produced in my life. They seemed right, though.

I shook those away and glanced up, locking my gaze onto the two fighters who were in the midst of staring at each other. A staring contest wasn't going to win this, sorry. Shigure's small smirk grew larger and he once again readied his angled sword. Kurama just stood there, possibly and probably planning something.

My eyes were glued to the two as idleness briefly took over; the boomerang like sword was thrown and the festivities began. Shigure lunged forward and Kurama danced along side of him, so to speak. It seemed like a slow motion movie- like that moment in the Matrix- where you could pinpoint every tiny detail, but, in this case, you had absolutely no clue what was going to happen next. There were few punches or kicks issued; it was mainly use of energy or objects relying on an energy source. I waited for the usual rosewhip, but it didn't come.

Nearly imperceptible cracking noises echoed throughout the large, loud stadium. A pungent smell followed it and slowly began to overcome my sense of smell. I cringed and backed away from the smell that leaked from the stone. A glare formed on my face, but it was not for the smell- something was crawling through the area, and it was foreign (to me). I looked over to Kuwabara and Hiei, who were to my right, and they seemed to be fine. Hiei had a smirk on his face. I think he knew what was going on. Out of curiosity, I glanced to my left. Yusuke didn't appear to be bothered by whatever was happening. I returned my line of vision to the fight that was now up in the air, literally. Kurama had some butterfly attachment on him and he was zooming through the air. I thought it was kind of nifty, I mean, how many demons can do that? (I don't know the answer, but I don't think it's many.) While in the air, rose petals circled Kurama and they also happened to attack Shigure. The majority of them were disintegrated, but one maybe two made contact with him. There was hardly any damage; just a line of blood from each paper-like cut. I sort of wonder why he did that.

Allowing the wings to detach, Kurama landed on his feet. He turned to face the opposition and smirked. There were no words, just actions, which left me in the dust. Shigure still kept attacking him, but he didn't put any effort into trying to attack him. I figured there would be a few easy points to try to get, but I was wondering why he wasn't taking the opportunity to take him down.

I stared oddly that off situation and it was answered with a random and (I'm pretty sure) wrong statement.

"Think of him as a big cat- he's got to toy with his stuff first," Yusuke stated in a serious manner.

"I though foxes were part of the dog family, though," I said back to him.

His frown stretched out across his face and he leaned down toward me to state his next words. "That's not my point, smarty pants!"

I turned back to look at the near end of the fight- it seemed like that anyway. Shigure had succumbed to heavy breathing and small beads of sweat running down his face. Kurama didn't look tired, but then again he didn't exert much effort, so that was understandable. Another grin graced our presence, but not Kurama's. His boomerang came back into play and hit the stadium with a boom and with heavy dust and debris. It didn't balloon out like last time, but it was still hard to see what was going on. When it did clear, it didn't look amazing at all.

Youko Kurama had disappeared. The red head had returned to grace us with his human beauty. He still had the injury to his side, but it wasn't freely bleeding anymore. He too was grinning but his had a different vibe to it. Just like he knew what was about to happen- same as Hiei. Now, I wanted to know what was happening.

Another still moment came and passed, but nothing exciting happened. Kurama snapped his fingers and out of nowhere flowers bloomed from Shigure's body. He looked shocked as he stepped back to far and fell back first to the ground.

Kurama won through a definite ring-out. Shigure looked dead, but he was still twitching and slowly dragging himself back to his team. The flowers were beginning to wilt and the stems and leaves were disintegrating with his every pull from the ground.

The fox hopped down from the stone and slowly walked over to us. Kuwabara helped him over and forced him to sit down. I turned around to see how he was doing and I noticed him waving me over. I decided to go with it and I sat next to him as he released a deep breath.

"Are you nervous?" he asked me openly.

"To an extent, yes. Why?"

He reached out with his blood-free hand and tugged at my hair that happened to be black.

"Oh, that," I started off since I had forgotten about it. "I got nervous during your fight." I was being very nonchalant about it because I didn't want to make myself look like or feel like a moron. Underestimating him was never on my mind and I didn't want him to think that.

His smiled was genuine, not teasing as I may have thought it had been. He just nodded and pointed to the ring. It was my turn and I was only looking forward to about half of it. I'm not even sure if it was that much, to be honest.

"Remain calm," he stated as I stood up and walked toward my hopefully prospective win. Kuwabara had wished me luck, but I think I was going to need more than that to win this. Speed and brains would do me some good, so I was really cheering for those to be working overtime in this situation.

I entered the ring and it felt odd. I was off the actual ground I know and had stepped onto foreign soil. It felt wrong and out of place. I looked around for a couple of second, then I focused my attention on Koto who was getting more and more impatient by the nanosecond.

"Will the contender for this match please enter the ring?" she asked as she tapped her foot on the ring. She wanted more action, and if the last match wasn't enough, it would be brought in this one- guaranteed. I was going to go out with a bang, and I had a plan to make it happen, too.

Casually walking up to and jumping into the ring, Katsuya made his lazy appearance. He looked like he had just woken up from a nap. He was stretching and pushing his hair out of his face. It had grown since yesterday- that was odd. For some reason, he reminded me of someone, but I couldn't place it just yet. His energy like mine when I'm not nervous was nonexistent. This would prove to be very interesting. Neither one of us really had an idea of what each other could do and technically speaking, we're related.

"Okay, I can't take nothing happening anymore, so begin!" Koto yelled into her microphone and both of us took an ambiguous stance. I noticed that I was at a slight disadvantage; of course I, a lefty, would have a kid who would be a righty. To try to better my chances of a hit and dodging his, I switched quickly to the opposite side, and it felt very inaccurate.

"Hey, what the hell are ya doin'?" yelled one of the guys- probably Yusuke. I wasn't paying that much attention to my outer surroundings. I was definitely in my zone.

I flicked my left wrist, which was now in front of me, and thread ran quickly from my hands. Slithering its way about the edges, it formed a foot tall barrier for two main reasons: a reminder and some damage.

I shift back to my natural stance since the other one was very uncomfortable. I would just have to take the chance of getting hit or not connecting well. I stared him down as I made the change, but just when I finished it, he vanished. I stood prostrate and looked about as I tried to figure out what he had done. Randomly, I was punched in the face and I got well acquainted with the stone I once stood on. In the process, I managed to throw my foot up, but I knew I had missed my target completely. I flipped over onto my feet and stood up. The left side of my face was slightly swollen and it throbbed a little.

I snapped twice and the strings expanded upward and closed in on the both of us. I wanted to make sure I knew the general vicinity so that way I may have a better chance. If not, then I probably set him up for a better chance. We would see.

I formed thick shards in my hand and threw them down in the middle of the ring. It was a few inches in front of his location. He scoffed at my effort.

"It's sad that you can't hit me."

I smiled mockingly and retorted. "It's said that you're doltish."

His expression went from playful yet airily cocky to grave and nearly emotionless. I replied by tapping my foot twice and clapping once. The ring exploded and all of the smoke and debris stayed within the boundaries that I had set up.

Gasps could be heard all around the crowd and even some of the members of the team were shocked.

"Hey!" yelled the annoyingly familiar voice that I now had a moment to concentrate on. "What's goin' on in there?"

Once the smoke reasonably cleared up, the area that Katsuya and I stood in was ringless. We were on the dirt with dust remains of the stone.


	22. The Semi Finals, Part Three

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

A/N: Sorry this took so long- between all of my homework and my friend's eighteenth birthday party, I had very little time. Please enjoy. (Sorry if it's a little short.)

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Semi-Finals, Part Three

Once the smoke reasonably cleared up, the area that Katsuya and I stood in was ringless. We were on the dirt with dust remains of the stone. The entire stadium had died down to a hush and we stared each other down. I had more of a smirk on my face until I looked around. It slowly dissipated considering my intention wasn't to blow the entire ring up; just the center, that way I could maybe push him into it.  
"Wow, folks, it seems that we have no ring and one hell of a boundary," Koto commented. "I'm not sure what's going to go on now. Let's see what the committee has to say about this." She turned to the large screen behind her and waited for a panel or two to light up. Not some few seconds later, her hopes had come true.  
The panels on the extremes had lit up and the older man began his evaluation. It was rather blunt, so I didn't really understand the need for the introduction of the matter. Stupid legalities.  
"Since there is no ring, it will be a fight to the death. There will be no counting or anything of the sort. I want a still, cold, unbeating heart and blood about the area."  
_Wow, what a jerk. I guess I gotta get my heart going at a steady rate then…_  
It took a few seconds, but my first task was completed. It was slow and steady, but that's all that I needed for the time being. I would pick up the pace and let the fight get real and amazing when it needed to get there. Besides, I didn't want to deal with the ridiculously long hair. In a sense, I got what I wanted, but I'm risking my life in the process of it. I doubted that he knew exactly how to take me, but I wasn't going to rule it out completely. Who knew what Mukuro told him; I knew I sure didn't. My goal was to watch him like a hawk and take him out. That sounded so terrible.  
It had to have been minutes before either one of us moved. I don't know about him, but I was coming up with a plan and a few back ups. When I was good to go, he charged, and I didn't expect that, so I went straight to defense while he rubbed the offense right in front of my face. I ended up eating a few punches, but nothing was true to its appearance. He was holding something back, and I was going to find out eventually.  
I dropped the string shield, for a moment, and threw him into the stadium wall. I watched as he slid down and plopped onto the ground. If his plan was to get his ass kicked, then I was seriously wasting my time here. He got up, but he seemed like an old man with many aches. He trudged back and was extremely slow about his gait. There was no doubt in my mind that there was a plan. The only problem was I had absolutely no hint of what it was. That gave me hope that there was a functioning brain there, but I couldn't let it put me at a disadvantage.  
The shield remained on the floor at standby as I contemplated my next move. Right now, plans A, B, and C were thrown out the window, so I was forced to do some quick thinking. I took a couple of steps back to give myself enough room, but as I stopped he vanished. I blinked and looked around, but he was gone, for the time being. I heard Koto commenting, but I really wished she hadn't been anywhere near me. Her loud mouth was a distraction that could cost me my life (if they boy was smart enough to figure it out).  
Suddenly, I thought of my shield through her commentary and I threw it up at lightning speed. I noticed a gap in the middle area in front of me. Materializing from the air, Katsuya was tangled in the mess. I inadvertently did something right. I had no clue he was there, but I was going to play like I did. I pulled some of the strings harder, and they did manage to dig in, but unlike most people, he didn't scream or squirm; he just relaxed in mid-air. That was perplexing. I stared at him for a while before releasing the strings. We weren't going to get anywhere that way.  
"What the hell are ya doin'?" yelled my current pain in the ass.  
I refused to respond in such time of concentration. Someone over there would take care of it, and I heard a few female voices from the stands take him on. I swore I heard Kurama chuckle once, maybe twice.  
We stood only inches from each other as we breathed opposite one another. I wanted to save my ultimate plan until the end, but I wanted to see what this kid was capable of, so I unleashed an illusion trick that Sakaki taught me. It takes some energy, but nothing exorbitant. I stared him down as I felt myself split into two other entities. They were blurs at the moment, but in a few seconds, there were three of me, and if you didn't know any better, you wouldn't know which one was the illusion. I saw his demeanor shift from calm to slightly agitated and confused. That was exactly what I wanted. My 'clone' to my right and I went to the left and the lone left clone stayed put. We circled them as we tried to find points of vulnerability. While circling, the clone and Katsuya began fist fighting. My other part was obviously the weaker contender, but she was meant to buy me some time. It would have been interesting had she taken the upper hand, though.

Interdependently my clone and I dove and dropped a bomb from behind. Swiftly we glided from the floor to the string barrier and hung out to assess the damage. It was a light explosion, so nothing extreme should have occurred. Once the smoke cleared, I saw that I was missing a clone; Katsuya threw her in the blast. No more of those attacks. I frowned directly at him and he returned it with a smirk. I hopped down from my nest, but I left my clone up there. I planned for backup.  
I watched him shift around and make an infinity sign in the dirt. I eyed it strangely; whatever it was meant for was meant to hand my butt to me, so I had to come up with something fancy fast. He threw his hands forward and a random gust of wind hit me and I flew backwards, my back meeting my strings in the most uncomfortable manner possible. My head was leaned back against the wall as I tried to figure out what had happened. I looked at myself to make sure I was intact. I was a little more intact that I had originally contemplated. An infinity sign connected my wrists. How appropriate.

He 'tisked' and waved his finger about with mocking disapproval. That pissed me off. My hands were pretty much useless in combat and he mocked me. Could my day get any worse?

He lunged forward and punched me in the face. It just did.

I sat up after meeting the dirt and dust and I looked up to my other half. She would have to be my hands for as long as possible, so off she went. She punched and kicked- a few made contact, but I was beginning to think the kid was made from metal.

_That was it…_

I finally had an idea that might be worth something, but it would require a large amount of craftiness, and since I didn't have accessible hands that would prove engaging. It was rather dangerous, but I was willing to give it a go. While the two were fighting, I formed a space between my hands, my left being on the top and the right on the bottom. Slow and steady, my heartbeat picked up and as it did a small bead formed in the middle of the gap. It began to expand and it shifted from black to purple to green back to black.

While all of this was going on, my hair got longer, darker and heavier, but it was tame this time- not unruly and savage-like. I felt a little different from all the other times, but I could probably attribute that to the fact that the circumstances were kill or be killed. Just a little stress never hurt anyone. As soon as my clone 'poofed' away, I let the last part of my energy surge into the glowing, warm ball and it self-lauched. I blinked raced forward to try to catch it, but we three met an unwanted acquaintance in the middle- a super hot boom.

I flew back and rolled as soon as I met the ground. I had my hands out in front of me to break the fall, but I may have sprained my wrists, at a minimum. I couldn't tell just yet; I had generated more dust and thick fog, so it would be a while before anyone could assess the damage. I sat up, but immediately fell back and rolled over as a wave of pain coursed through my limbs. I felt a little cold, and I also felt some blood on my wrists. For now, I assumed it was from breaking the infinity. I took in a few shallow breaths, seeing as it hurt to sit up, and waited.

As soon as it all cleared up, I looked myself over before thinking about anything else. My pants now had many holes from the mid-thigh down. My shirt was ripped in a place or two and both sleeves were gone. Tattered was a good way to describe my look save my hair. It was long and silky, very feminine. It was the only thing out of place.

There was a scar and plenty of blood where the infinity once was. I didn't like it, but there wasn't too much that I was going to do about it. I slowly tried to sit up again, but I could only make it half way before I felt another surge of pain. I looked over to Katsuya who was struggling to rise. Even though I knew it was playing dirty, I had to take the opportunity. I summoned my strings to rise and encase him in a capsule. I sent enough energy to nuke the entire stadium into the small area and it exploded once it passed capacity of the small area. The strings and I'm safely assuming my opponent went with the blast.

I watched as I saw strings glow and fade and pieces of skin and a limb or two hit the ground. I admit, I overdid it, but I was a bit uncertain at the time. That's just another note to add to the long list I've forgotten about.

"And the winner is Hatsune. Four to one, so Team Urameshi advances to the Finals!" Koto yelled into her microphone as she bounced around the battlefield of blood, dust and dislocated body parts.

I blinked a few times as I tried to get up, but it wasn't working. Kurama ran over to me and helped me stand, but there was so much pain coursing through my entire body that I black out after taking only a few steps.

I woke up in my bed- cleaned, in pajamas and not in pain. Looking around the dark room, I heard the door open and saw two people walk in: Kuwabara and Yukina. She walked over to me and checked me.

"I'm fine," I said to her calmly. "Thank you."

She just smiled at me and nodded as she left the room. Kuwabara stayed.

"That was a, uh… good fight," he said as he struggled to find the words.

"Uh, thanks. Where's Kurama?" I asked him.

He shrugged before answering. "I dunno. He said something about being out for a few hours. I think he had someone to talk to."

I blinked a few times as I placed my thinking face on. I tapped my chin with my pointer finger and realized what Kurama was in the middle of. I hopped up and tried to run for it, but Kuwabara held me down.

"He said you would do that. He also mentioned that you're staying here, even if I have to sit on you," he stated firmly as he held me down.

I pouted and crossed my arms. I had to think of a plan to get him to go to sleep or something so I could leave. There was unfinished business to tend to.


	23. Eternity

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

A/N: Sorry about the length and how long it took; it's been crazy busy around here. Gomen ne.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Eternity

Kuwabara and I were locked in a staring contest. We had to be at least thirty minutes in and surprisingly neither one of us blinked. My arms were crossed and I leaned back slightly as I continued to stare him down. I had tried a few dirty tactics such as flailing and throwing a few punches. I had humored the idea of a shrill scream, but that would make me blink, so I went against the notion. I shifted a few times feigning a jump start, but that was only to keep him on his feet and to see if he would accidentally blink.

My door flew open and hit the wall. It didn't come back, either. I looked over and Kuwabara didn't move as Rahvanna stomped in. She was livid and when I found out who did it, I would immediately plan his or her death in a split second and execute it. She walked over to me and lifted me up. Face to face with her, in a slightly uncomfortable manner, she began to yell into my face. I caught a few words such as where, when, stupid, women, asshole, etcetera. Nothing really made much sense to me. At this point, I was praying that I saw the short one. Maybe that would calm her down, or had she already driven him away?

Still in her grasp, she took me from the room and Kuwabara followed. Passing through the main room, I caught a glimpse of Yusuke and Hiei. I was wondering why they were just chillin' there. She and I, against my will, left the room, Kuwabara still at my heels. I didn't know where we three were going to end up, but I knew if it was near Kurama, Kuwabara would begin to freak out and stop us somehow. We left the hotel and walked in the general direction of the stadium that would be used for the final match. I wasn't sure who we were against, but I don't think I was going to find out through this venture.

As we walked, I noticed Kuwabara get very nervous not panicky like I had expected. Maybe we were going into an area we were supposed to and he knew about it. I was about to ask him when all three of us heard shifting. We looked around and realized we were surrounded by a wall of moving, thorned, and ready-to-go vines.

"Yeah, about these," Kuwabara started and stopped. One of the vines was very close to him.

Yeah, I got the point. Kurama didn't want us near here, but Rahvanna was being bone headed and tried to make her way through the plants.

I looked over at Kuwabara and mouthed truce, referring to our staring contest and he nodded in agreement. We sat on the ground and waited for two things: for the wall to fall and for Rahvanna to chill the hell out. I leaned forward, elbows on knees, and placed my hands under my chin, fingers interlaced. I blinked a few times as I stared at Rahvanna. She was truly insane. She swung at the vines, she pulled at the vines, hell she tried to eat one of them (it looked that way)! We couldn't be here all night, so I waited and waited and waited. I got annoyed and eventually so did Kuwabara. By this point, Rahvanna had given up- she was super pissed off. She joined us and we formed a triangle of waiting, so to speak.

Some mintues later a small exit formed on one end and two on the other. Rahvanna stormed out of the side with two 'doors'. Her passing closed one, and Kuwabara and I stared at the others.

"Uh, I can go through that one if ya want," he said referring to the side Rahvanna bypassed, the one with only one exit. I shrugged. He walked over, but he couldn't get through. I stood and decided that it was my door (really…). I passed and let out a sigh of relief as I noticed that nothing looked out of the ordinary. Popping out of the ground, plant bulbs acted as outside lighting. I followed the lights and I ended up at the stadium. Now I was curious. I followed the trail until it ended. I was in the stadium and I saw Kurama, Koenma and someone I wasn't quite familiar with. This person was about average height, covered from head to toe (quite literally) and had a weird aura about him or herself.

Three sets of eyes met mine and I paused. I wasn't exactly sure if I was welcome here. Koenma motioned me over to the table in the middle of the arena, so I did go there and sit to his left. I blinked a few times as I tried to figure out who the stranger sitting across from me was. Nothing was coming to mind as Koenma began discussing a few things with said person. I listened, but nothing was clicking.

"So the terms of the summons are officially null and void," Koenma ended.

Summons, null, void- now it clicked. I knew what was going on and who was at the other side of the table- the enemy! Well, that might be putting in a dramatic kind of way, but seriously, she was being evil to me, so it works out. Silence fell upon us for a few moments and Mukuro broke it by addressing it.

"How did it feel?" she asked me. I knew what she was talking about, but I wasn't sure what the answer was.

"I don't know," I replied to her ambiguous question with an equally ambiguous yet truthful, in a way, answer. It's true in a way; I wasn't exactly sure how I felt. I wouldn't describe it was happy, sad or angry. Relieved and at peace might have been better words, but again, I was uncertain. I just stared at her to see if she would ask something else.

She scoffed and said nothing else. I felt slightly insulted.

"If that's all, I believe we are done here," Koenma said as he stood.

"No, that's not all," she spoke up.

He sat down with a somewhat annoyed look on his face. He crossed his arms and rested them on his chest. I just stared at her with the utmost confusion and 'what are you up to' look.

"I may have signed off on the summons, but I haven't signed off blood rights. When it comes time for war, she fights for me."

I swear my eyes went from calm to buggy and shocked. I wasn't about to serve her and fight for her reign. Like hell that was ever going to happen. Did I not have a say in matters pertaining to me directly?

"Though a child through both age standards, she still has the right to choose her side, and that's not something that has to be settled now, so since that is all, we'll be on our way." Koenma hopped up out of his seat and grabbed me. Kurama followed the two of us and we left the stadium without any other exchanges. I wasn't sure what went on in the majority of the meeting, but he apparently wanted me to know the tail end of it.

More than half way back to the hotel room, Koenma halted his brisk pace and turned to face me.

"Are you ready for war?"

I thought this was a very inappropriate question for the time. One I had no clue what was going on and two there was a tournament at hand that came before the said war.

"Probably not," I replied waiting to hear something else that might explain all of this to me. When nothing came, I asked what all of this was about. I got a length explanation and it was dumbed down to my level. I nodded and when I heard my options, I swallowed and held my breath. I wasn't looking forward to that.

"You have three options in war in the Makai: you join Mukuro's army and serve under her rule, you join Raizen's forces and serve under him or you run as an independent and increase your risk of death exponentially. I suggest you not take the latter," he stated firmly.

I sighed deeply and held a look of mild exasperation. That's not what I wanted to hear. I go with someone I dislike, I go with someone I don't' know and Yusuke, or I die in a split second. Oh yeah, that brightened my freaking day. I shook my head and dropped it.

"Do I have to choose now?" I mumbled.

"No, you have a few months if nothing drastic happens."

I chewed lightly on my bottom lip before asking for advice. "What option do you think if better if you nix the third?"

Without thought Koenma blurted out, "Fight for Raizen."

Wow, that was quick. I hope he meant it 'cause I was going to take that into consideration. I seriously thought about being neutral, but I'd probably die that way. I blinked a few times before looking over to Kurama. He said nothing and just looked at me, like something was wrong.

"Can we just get back to the room? I wanna sleep a little bit," I said to both of them.

We proceed and in a few minutes we passed through the threshold of many questions and crazy ass moves. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was in the room. The guys, a hotheaded Rahvanna and the cheer section were gathered in the living room. Yukina and Keiko were trying their luck with DDR and Yukina wasn't that bad at it. The other girls were cheering the two on and Kuwabara was drooling on himself as he stared at Yukina. Hiei glared at him and Rahvanna stared at Hiei. This was an odd chain. Yusuke yawned at pretended to be interested in the game. Koenma, Kurama and I walked away from the indirectly questions. The kitchen was the area of choice.

There was a package on the counter, but it was ignored for the moment. We took seats and chilled for a moment before going into full detail about past, present and prospective events. A lot of things made sense to me now, even the way the guys acted. Kurama even explained his being a fox and his childhood, how he came to be the person he is. Hiei was even mention and that put him in new light. I thought he was just a sourpuss and hated everyone. Koenma explained Kuwabara and Yusuke to a great extent.

After an hour or so of talk, the living space died. We walked out to find everyone asleep and sprawled out everywhere. Koenma took his leave since he needed to be in Spirit World, so it was just myself and Kurama alive and moving about.

I went back for that package on the counter. I looked at it and it had my name on it. I also noticed something familiar on there, too- my exchange parents' names. I pulled at the tape and it broke. I opened it and took out two letters and some wrapped gifts. There were a few pictures at the bottom and I even had an invite to a friend's party in the summer. Wow, she ha everything planned already. Over-freakin-achiever.

Kurama walked in and stood near me and I read my letter. I was all smiles and rather giddy. I sifted through the pictures and nothing physically different stood out. My friends still looked the same. I figured at least one guy had to hit the massive growth spurt, but no. I put all of it back into the box save the presents. There was nothing saying that I couldn't open them, so I did.

The three presents I received were: a locket with no picture in it, I guess it was at my discretion; a mini snow globe, and a piece of paper that had 'IOU' written on it. Below the IOU were the words 'a birthday present, but you'll have to wait for it.' That ruined and fueled the excitement at the same time.

Kurama looked at the memo and chuckled. "When is your birthday?"

I turned around and, still smiling, I replied, "March 14th."

He just blinked.


	24. Roller Coaster

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Twenty-Four: Roller Coaster

Everyone got up early after crashing from the party the night before. The bathrooms were crowded and everyone was running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I walked out of my room and eyed Kurama who was stading in the hallway watching Yusuke and Kuwabara go at it.

"Why aren't they in their own room?" I asked while yawning. I scratched my head and looked up to Kurama.

He shrugged and continued to watch them. They were prepared for the finals and such, but they could argue in their own room, not here. I was tired and felt hung over. They were not helping to alleviate the pain through yelling and pretending to beat the crap out of each other. I walked back into my room and threw some slightly loose fitting clothes on. I tied my hair back and pinned the bangs to the sides. It was still black and it was medium lengthed. The beastly hair had been momentarily tamed.

When I walked out, it was like déjà vu. Nothing had changed- the same two morons duking it out with Kurama being the bystander. Fabulous. My attempts at getting some bathroom time were futile since it was always being used and it was switched out faster than I could realize it. I frowned. And randomly, I was glad that I didn't have the urge to urinate. There would be issues if that was the case.

The last person to walk out was Botan, and as soon as she passed the threshold of private time, I ran in before Kuwabara or Yusuke could step foot in. I heard them mention about who would use the bathroom first, and I wanted to get in before one trashed it for the other. My time in there was short, and that was okay. Everything was getting better until I opened the door. Instead of the door being the punching bag for the knock, it was my collarbone.

"Hey!" I heard being yelled as I felt a forceful 'knock' against my bone. I fell backwards and landed very ungracefully on the bathroom floor. I locked with brown eyes as I glared upward. Not even a few seconds later, three people rushed over to see what had happened. Kuwabara, Kurama and Keiko were staring at the ambiguous situation. Keiko slapped Yusuke and lectured him about the importance of a girl's time in the bathroom and how she doesn't want to be disturbed. Kuwabara helped me up and Kurama attempted to check the potential wound, but I declined. I assured him that I would be fine. It wasn't that bad of a hit; I just wasn't expecting something like that when I would be exiting the washroom. I nonchalantly stated to him that it had just caught me off guard.

Everyone, once again, was gathered in the living space, but this time, it was incredibly civil. The girls were in their own little space. Rahvanna sat next to Hiei, but they appeared to be very distant. Yusuke's face was slightly swollen and he was very far from Keiko; he was also next to Koenma, but the ruler kept a close eye on him. I don't think he wanted to be part of their fight. We three walked in so we could complete the group. Without much talked, we walked out and onto the last round of the tournament- the Finals.

I was thrilled.

Instead of waiting in the dark tunnel like normal, we actually were led down the hallway that the commoners took. We entered the stadium and saw our opponents. It wasn't Yomi's team like I had expected. That shocked me a little bit, actually. I think what was the most shocking factor was that our opponents only had three people on their team. Yomi's team apparently didn't go down without a fight.

Without delay terms were made and they were very different from past rounds.

"Okay, so it's three on three, last man standing in the ring wins it. So let's get this over with!" Yusuke said in a very pumped manner. "Time to kick some ass!" he exclaimed as he jumped into the ring. I saw Kuwabara look the team over and he frowned deeply and longly. There was a girl and he absolutely refused to lay a hand on her. He mumbled something about his honor code and he sulked. Hiei scoffed and walked up next to Yusuke. Kurama motioned for me to step up, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to. I mean, a good fight would be nice, but I already fulfilled my purpose to this, so I wasn't sure if I would have the fuel for it. Rahvanna was uninterested in the fight, so she stood aside. I sighed and hopped up. I noticed that al of us were relatively short compared to our opponents. I didn't mind that so much. Being short had many advantages, at least for me.

I wans't completely satisfied with the ring out. I couldn't cage a person in if I had to ring him or her out, so that was out. I guess it was old fashioned hand and feet fighting. Something that I needed a little bit more work on.

I also happened to take note that Koto, or whatever her name was, wasn't the moderator in the ring this time. Some tanned girl with green fins for ears and a tail held the microphone. I think she said her name was Juri. I wasn't too sure since I was making notes of things. She called for the start of the match, and it was on. The two tall guys and the Amazon charged and my main goals were to not freak out and at least ring out one person. I didn't care who; I just wanted to do my share of the burden. They chose us and we split up. The Amazon went for Hiei and the two built brutes took on Yusuke and I. My guy had to be at least six feet and three inches tall- at least a foot taller than me. He was big, brown and beastly. For the first few minutes I was on the defense since I was trying to formulate a plan on how to get him out without him taking me with him. I thought about smoke in his eyes, but I didn't need him stomping about the ring interfering with everyone else. When I sharply turned to avoid falling off the side, I slipped up on my footing and ended up roundhouse kicking him in the chest. He took a step back and laughed as I stumbled back a few inches. I caught myself just in time to duck- Yusuke kicked his guy out of the ring and almost inadvertently took me out too. He nervously smiled and I just waved it off. I should pay better attention.

I weaved a small, maybe three inch, fence at his feet just for kicks when he either stepped on it or tripped over it. I waited for him to move and that took no coercing since he was into this battle. He stepped on the fence and cut his right foot deeply. He yelped and jumped up; that was my opportunity to send strings his way and tie him up so I could throw him out of the ring. They went around and constricted, limiting his movement. I pulled forward and immediately released them. He fell out of the ring and I was proud of myself… until I forgot to release the strings; then I went forward, but not enough to knock me out of the round. That ruined my moment. As I stood up, Hiei had just cut down the Amazon and she lay in three pieces outside the ring. We won the final round and the tournament, but that wasn't the exciting part- it was going home and resuming a normal life for a little while before some other crazy even occurred, like that Makai war.

Victorious, we walked out and celebrated in the common area on our floor. There were all the games from the previous celebration, but this time there was food and drink to accompany the festivities. I sat away from a lot of the noise and after a while, Yusuke came to join my calm festivity of watching everyone else have fun.

"Hey," he casually said as he sat next to me, an opened coke in his right hand. "Ya look like you're havin' a freakin' blast over here. What's up?"

Still watching the crowd entertain themselves, I spoke. "I'm enjoying myself, thanks." I briefly looked over at him. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. You just seem like a person who would jump in and have fun is all."

_Damn, is he serious?_

On the inside, I laughed at him. I had never been a party kind of girl, and it never served me well, but I don't think he knew that, so I let it slide. It was not 'delve into Hatsune's life' moment. I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees so I could prop my chin up on my hands. I went into a semi-thinking mode. I was curious as to why he wasn't out there having fun, but before I could ask, a splitting headache knocked on my door. My hands went from my chin to my head instantaneously.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked me. I felt his hand on my shoulder.

My head felt heavy and everything around me spun even thought I was firmly placed on the couch. My breathing was still steady but everything else felt erratic. I couldn't feel a heartbeat, but something was thumping, besides my head. Perspiration began to form and rolled down my face and my hands shook slightly.

I felt the hand on my shoulder grip a little tighter, but it caused a surge of pain to course through my body from that point. I heard him speak, but I couldn't comprehend. I heard some yelling and heavy feet running closer, getting louder but still foggy in sound. More pain coursed through my limbs as I felt that I was being moved. At that moment, I felt like I was flying, but nausea accompanied the new sensation and one unsteady hand moved to cover my mouth. Everything continued to spin, but there was a vertical change in what visuals I did manage to view. Since that intensified the nausea, I kept my eyelids shut tightly until I felt most of the chaos subsided. I figured I had been set down since there was some newfound stability.

"Turn over," I heard in a very low, gentle tone.

I rolled over and I threw up. It smelt very acidic with a hint of salt. It wasn't an atrocious amount, but it was more than I originally thought. I coughed a few times to make sure that was it before I sat up. Drained and ponderous were my current visitors. I breathed in and out heavily as I felt the trails of sweat grace my face in a gradually increasing speed.

"What's… wrong w-with… me?" I managed to stammer. The common phrase 'feeling like crap' didn't even scratch the surface.

Before I received my answer a few people walked in. Whoever was in front of me joined the incoming trio and one approached me. I felt very cold hands near my neck and jaw which caused me to flinch. It contrasted significantly, but I don't know if it was a reprieve. There was still too much disturbance in my system to tell.

"Can I talk to you three outside of the room?" I heard a female voice say. Judging from the cold hands and the calm, shy tone it had to be Yukina. Now, the three guys- Yusuke and Kurama definitely, and either Kuwabara or Koenma. I had Kuwabara up on the list first since I caught him staring at Yukina the other night. The voices, to me, were inaudible. I knew they stepped out, but I heard nothing.

I leaned back and flopped against the fluffy pillows. It felt comfortably painful at first; it immediately subsided. I sighed and pulled some blankets over me. It was getting cold now, so I wanted to keep warm. My face held the sensation of bipolar weather- fever with a cold environment. I rolled around until I got somewhat confortable; that's when everyone who left walked in. A few words were voiced, then silence graced the room with its silky song.

"I will be first on the watch, so the rest of you should get some sleep. Let me know if something changes, okay?" I heard a voice say. I didn't hear a response so I assumed a physical nod was the answer. Three sets of feet walked out and I continued to drift in and out of sleep.

Outside of the covers, I felt someone shift about and eventually stopped. There was enough space between me and the person, but I would feel better if I knew who and why. I slowly opened my tired eyelids and saw red. I blinked a few times and it cleared up a little bit. "Kurama," I mumbled.

"Sh," I heard call out to me from the silence. I felt his hand brush some of my hair from my face. "We will not be here much longer, so get some rest."

I looked up even though it hurt. Staring into his eyes, I wanted to voice another thought, but his index finger pressed against my lips and he shook his head. He didn't want me to speak and I didn't have enough energy or lack of pain to talk telepathically. I sighed in defeat and moved over to be closer to him. Just close enough to lay my head on his shoulder, after I had wiped it with the blanket. I didn't want him to have a sweaty shoulder; that's a little gross.

I allowed myself to be taken over by slumber for an unknown amount of time. When I woke up, it was a different yet familiar setting. I inhaled the subtle scent of roses and felt soft covers beneath my skin. I wasn't in a lot of pain anymore since I could feel Kurama's embrace around my arms and mid to upper torso. I smiled outwardly since I knew what all of this meant: I was home.


	25. Unwilling

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Twenty-Five: Unwilling

When I woke for the second time, Kurama wasn't there. I think it was Thursday morning, but I wasn't a hundred percent sure. I sat up and stretched a little bit before deciding to walk downstairs. My steps were steady and slow as I entered the kitchen where I saw Kurama and Hiei. Since netiher one of them looked up, I figured it would be okay to take a seat at the table. When I did, Kurama got up and grabbed a plate which he set in front of me. I wasn't hungry at the moment. I blinked at it for a little bit until I heard a noise. I looked up to see Hiei staring in my general direction.

"You're too thin, baka onna," he said as he stood and walked out of the house. I just blinked again. I mean, yes, I knew I was thin, but no one had ever pointed it out in that manner. I don't know if it was just me or it really was him being mean. I looked back down at the food and decided that I should probably eat some of it.

Kurama came back into the kitchen and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Do not worry about it. He is in a bad mood," he said as he resumed his seat at the table.

But, I was worrying about it, and for some reason, I think he said that just to make me feel better. I stared at the food and picked at a little bit of everything until I felt full. I hadn't eaten a lot, but I couldn't consume anymore considering I already felt like I had to throw up. I still felt achy and slightly cold, but it wasn't as drastic as the killer cold that nearly had me.

"Kurama, am I really that thin? Like anorexic thing?" I asked him. I half looked in his direction. I wasn't sure if I had wanted to ask that question.

He looked over and blinked. He seemed a little taken back by the question. He didn't answer, so I waited before adding onto my question.

"Be honest, please."

His head was slightly tilted down when he spoke his pithy response. "Yes."

My mind went haywire, but I was trying to tie the yes to one of the parts: the thin or the anorexic part. I immediately assumed that I looked anorexic thin, but I didn't carry the mentality of an anorexic girl, so I didn't think it was that bad, but yes, I was super thin. And at times, it was disgusting. I never thought of myself as fat; that was good.

Post-breakfast took place in the living room with Kurama on the computer and me on the couch. I flipped through a few channels and when I saw nothing that entertained me, I turned the television off. I sighed and leaned back on the couch. I heard a few beeps and clicks and such, but nothing to make me turn around to see what he was doing. Maybe he was looking at the stuff off that chip again. I admit, at one point, I was curious about it, but now it was just something that happened, so to speak.

My eyes saw the ceiling of the house. It was odd to be back here after about two weeks of not seeing it. Two weeks wasn't long, but the setting here and over there were significantly different.

School dragged and time passed by faster than I could blink. There were a few random mini-missions that Koenma dragged the guys into. I was a part of a few of them. I mainly spent time with Kuraiya and Riho. Mainly Kuraiya since he wasn't bugging me that much. Riho was getting… Annoying. Kuraiya had his own version of annoying- his being nearly blind was a bit of a burden. I got used to it though. There were times where it was completely entertaining. Other times, well… Let's try to leave it at entertaining, just at his expense.

"Hey, what'cha doin' today?" said Kuraiya as he trotted over my way. It was the beginning of December now. Midterms were pretty much here and I was trying to conquer physics, but I was still stuck at the bottom of the mountain.

"Trying to understand something. What do you have in mind?" I asked him in return as I flipped the page onto the next chapter. I looked up at him as I waited for a response. Before I could receive it, the intercom was flipped on.

"Will the following students please report to the principal's office: Kurosawa Riho and Katsuragi Hatsune."

Yeah, that's what I wanted to hear. My dream has come true.

"I'll be back. Hold onto that thought, 'kay?" I stated as I stood and left the classroom and the stares behind me. Awkward. I took my own pace and I ended up getting there at the same time as Riho. Pleasant. She seemed to be in a good mood, so hopefully her twenty questions won't ruin that.

More importantly, I wanted to know why I was here, in this particular place. I didn't think I had done anything drastically wrong, but then again, there was that one time…

The principal walked out and greeted us. Showing us the way, he motioned for us to take a seat. He too sat and got straight to the point. He cleared his throat first, though. "Through efforts in the community and the exchange program you participated in, I have come up with an option for you two and Kuraiya-san to live together again. It's an actual apartment complex in the city. It's not that far from here, and it's a relatively safe area- nothing drastic. There are conditions, however that you must agree to."

We nodded. As he listed the conditions, we kept nodding in agreement. All of them thus far were not difficult to achieve: A's and B's in all classes, part time job, no more than five absences and a monthly meeting with him to make sure we were on track. That was pretty simple until he threw the infamous curveball into my face.

"Now, I understand both of you have relatives in the area. I would like you to visit them and tell them about the living arrangements. Have them sign this stating they understand, not necessarily approve," he flatly stated as he handed us three sets of the paperwork. I wanted to drop onto my knees and bang my head against his desk. There was no way I was going to visit my grandmother and make it out alive. She would eat me raw for breakfast and spit the bones out. Vicious old bat was the best way to describe her.

"Have these to me by the end of next week, please," he smiled as he shook out hands and led us out of his office. Riho handed me Kuraiya's set and we parted as we returned to class. When I walked in, the stares returned, but only temporarily. I walked over to Kuraiya and handed him the packet. He just stared at it as he quickly skimmed the set. He didn't look excited, but he wasn't mortified either. Right now, he was better off than I.

"You have to get your granny to sign this? Have fun with that one." He snickered and leaned back in his chair. "I got it easy!"

I sighed and walked back to my seat. Kurama still sat in front of me, so I talked to him since it looked like he was done "studying". "Hey," I casually mumbled.

He looked at the small stack and pointed to it. I briefly explained and he just nodded. He looked a little sad, and I think I can understand why, but I wasn't going to push it.

"Where's the complex?" he asked me. I shrugged as I handed him the packet. He flipped through it and stopped immediately as he got to the page that held the location information. He froze and looked genuinely shocked.

"What?" I asked him. I was worried now. Maybe the area wasn't safe like the principal had stated. Maybe it was swarming with demons and traps that could get me into a serious fix- not the good one, either. I watched him and stared harder as his eyes met mine. "Yeah?" I asked him nervously.

"It's the same complex that Yusuke lives in," he whispered.

I fell out of my chair. I couldn't believe it, damn it. That's my luck! I swear, it couldn't get worse than this. I have to meet my grandmother and live near him. Just. Shoot. Me. Now. Please. Someone.

My head fell forward and it was very limp. It felt like I had just admitted defeat. I sighed deeply and shook it off. "It goes into effect when the new session starts, so I can still spend a lot of time with you until then… right?"

He smiled, but it appeared hollow… Feigned. "Yes. And, even though you are not staying with me does not mean that you cannot visit." He flipped through a few more pages and frowned lightly. "Grandmother? Is that the one that does not like you?"

I nodded. Can't forget that, now can we?

"When are you going to visit her?" he asked me.

I thought about it. This week or next might not be so bad, but the weeks of midterms was out the window. Winter break is supposed to be a happy, fun time, so I didn't want to do it then. And, I wouldn't want to do it after that, so it would be this week or next. "Some time this week or next week, I guess. Maybe today or tomorrow, just to get it over with."

"May I accompany you?" he asked me gently.

_Uh…_

Speechless and confused were my new names. I didn't think he'd want to endure a grouchy, old lady in a retirement home. He has some balls. I don't want to go, so I don't know why he would want to.

I stuttered my initial response, but I managed to let a yes slide out of it. I even nodded for confirmation.

"Then we'll go today," he stated firmly.

_Woah, woah, woah!_

It was well beyond school time. Midevening, we stopped by the homes and checked in. He waited outside the room as I knocked and stepped in when I heard the okay to do so. I slowly closed the door behind me and looked over in her direction. She was old, indeed. Well into her nineties, I think. If not, then she sure looked like it. The receptionist told me her name was Rina. I wasn't going to call her that, but I guess it was nice to know. I walked over and greeted her properly.

"Good evening, grandmother. It's nice to see you after all these years," I spoke and smiled at the same time. I was pushing my luck.

She turned her head slowly and stared me in the eye. She held a harsh look with a deep, built-in frown. He white hair covered the pillow her head rested on and she was covered in her white blanket from toe to chin.

"What do you want, you ungrateful urchin?" she grunted in a raspy voice.

::A/N: So, other than the length of the story, was it epic? R&R And, my next update won't be until sometime after the sixth of April. I have a college visit to attend and homework to do. Also, it's vacation time for me. Relaxation here I come. Maybe I'll get more ideas for this story. It's losing some of its cohesiveness because of my lack of ideas tying into each other and forming well.


	26. Drifting Apart

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Drifting Apart

"Good evening, grandmother. It's nice to see you after all these years," I spoke and smiled at the same time. I was pushing my luck.

She turned her head slowly and stared me in the eye. She held a harsh look with a deep, built-in frown. He white hair covered the pillow her head rested on and she was covered in her white blanket from toe to chin.

"What do you want, you ungrateful urchin?" she grunted in a raspy voice.

Honestly, that shocked the hell out of me, even though it probably shouldn't have. I blinked in mild shock and didn't dare sigh or let a drop of sweat roll down my face. I wasn't sure how to answer her question, so I shut it until she said something else. It stayed quiet for a few moments, save all the machines.

"You going to answer me or just stare with that damn blank look on your face?"

Again, blank. I managed to stutter a bit, but she reprimanded me for being ditzy and uncollected- something she considered unlady-like. I hung my head until I could figure out something to say.

"I'm still in high school, so that beat your original expectations of me being a junior high educated stripper," I said with a mildly enthusiastic tone with a heavy stench of sarcasm. I watched her hold her frown while she grunted and shifted around in her bed. I paid close attention to her movements and they were rigid and seemed to be painful. "Uh, do you need something?"

"Hmph, no."

"Uh, can you sign this form for school?" I asked her as I held out the form and a pen. Without thought or even reading it, she complied without complaining. She gave it back to me and I let out a silent sigh of relief.

I shifted around nervously for a few seconds before I decided that it would be time to leave. I turned to face the door and within a step or two, she spoke out.

"Before you leave, I have something for you." I turned to see her sit up and reach for a medium sized box. She motioned for me to come over and gave me the box. "Take care of it, you urchin. It might do you some good in the near future."

"Uh, thanks. I guess I'll go now," I said as I waved and turned around only to stop at the door. I did that because I heard the machines stop. I turned to see her peacefully sleeping on her bed, all the lights off and the beeps a mere echo continually fading into nothing. It was pretty dark- there was only one light on. I felt slightly sad, but in a way relived because she didn't look like she was in pain. I walked out of there with mixed feelings and a box; how appropriate.

I met up with Kurama in the waiting area and we walked outside in silence, just for a little while, though.

"Other than her passing, how did it go?" he asked me as I eyed the box.

"Pleasant; just like I envisioned it." I shook the box as I talked. I wanted to know what was in it, but I figured it could wait until Christmas. I would consider this her last present to me, so I was going to wait on it.

..::..::..::..::..::..

The week of midterms was hellish. It spanned three days of back to back to back insane tests and very little breaks. I got to get physics out of the way on day one, so I wasn't sweating over anything else, which made me feel better and hopefully in turn I did better.

On the way out from the last day of school for the term, Riho caught my attention. She was in a group of girls, a rather large one. At first, I thought she said something stupid and she was going to get hit, but when I got a closer look at things I realized she was the light of the group- the queen bee, so to speak. If this was what I thought it was, then there would be plenty of drama coming my way. I don't think too many of those girls liked me, and eventually (hopefully not) Riho might not like me either… And, we're going to be living under the same roof in about a month. Oh, I hope it was just some really weird meeting or something along those lines.

To try to ease my nerves, I walked by and listened in on their conversation. I heard laughing, high-pitched giggling and a lot of gossip.

"Riho, you need to straighten out that girl you hang out with," said a short, blonder haired girl.

"Oh, you mean Hatsune? Why? What'd she do?"

"She's always with Shuichi, like she owns him or like she's dating him. She needs to stop being selfish… The bitch."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it. She's moving out of his place in a month," Riho replied. As soon as she finished, I felt a million eyes drilling holes through my back. This just made everything better. I kept walking and I increased my speed little by little. I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. I could feel them planning my death. I ran into Kurama outside of the gates. He was talking to one of his classmates, but bid him a good break as he walked to catch up to me.

"Something go wrong after finals?" he asked me.

"I have crazy girls plotting my death 'cause Riho's got a freakin big mouth." I picked up the pace since I could hear other sets of feet moving. "But enough about my craziness- how's your day been?"

"Fine. I think your situation needs to be rectified, though." He looked back and I did too. All of the girls, Riho included, were following. They were closing the gap by stretching out their moderately sized group. I began to slow down and he did too as we left the school grounds and entered a subdivision that was not too far from Kurama's.

"Can't this be done when they calm down?" I asked him. They were pretty hot-headed right now, and I figured time would help sort things out… maybe. Our pace was now a very casual stroll and we were surrounded within seconds.

"Hatsune, dear," said a tall girl with dark brown hair with eyes to match. "What are you doing?"

I stared at her with an 'are you stupid?' expression. "Walking," I replied briefly. She seemed slightly upset by that answer.

"What have we told you about accompanying Shuichi-kun?"

"Absolutely nothing, so if you don't mind…" I said, but was cut off immediately.

"You DO NOT talk to him or touch him or even look at him!" another girl yelled. She was incredibly short and had short raven hair. While she spoke, I mocked her. I purposely stopped late and it angered her greatly. I was waiting for Riho to have the nerve to say something to me, but so far, she was chilling in the background.

Some girl about my height with bright blonde hair and an incredibly fair complexion stepped up to me. She pretty much got in my face. She needed a pack of Tic-Tacs to rectify her halitosis. "Why are you staying with him? What makes you so special?"

Before I answered her question, I glanced over to Kurama and he didn't show disagreement, so I went ahead with my response. I leaned in toward her ear and whispered, a little on the loud side, "Wouldn't you like to know why I'm there and what we do?" I stepped back and saw her mouth completely agape. There were many other girls who looked exactly like her and some looked royally pissed off. I didn't care. I walked through the bunch and left- Kurama matched my pace and we just kept walking. I might regret that later, but for now, it got them off my back- short-run before long-run.

When we got to his house, we quickly stepped in and he closed and locked the door. Just incase something crazy would go down. The shoes came off and the school bag was set next to them, for the time being. I noticed that the house was completely quiet and that the family vehicle was gone.

"Kurama, did your mother go somewhere?" I asked him.

"She had another meeting to go to. I think it is in France. She'll be there until early January, so it is just you and I."

I nodded. "That's kind of cool." I thought about a few things. "Anything planned for the term break?" I wanted to do something other than just sit around the house. I only worked one day a week now, so that didn't keep me very busy.

"Keiko wants a Christmas Eve party, and I think Botan wants to have a get-together for Christmas Day."

I smiled at that thought. That would be nice- everyone together, eating ham or turkey or whatever they eat over here… It's been a while. I decided to continue that thought in the living area. I walked there and sat on the couch. I leaned back into the couch and slightly sunk into it. It was incredibly comfortable. My smiled grew larger and I inhaled deeply like I was in the middle of a meadow. It was silent except for the clicking of the keys on the computer desk. I briefly looked up to see the same code stuff from that first small case.

"What exactly is that?" I asked him. I was getting really curious since he had been working on it for a while.

"When I get it completely decoded, I will have a better explanation, but for now I think it is a blue print or directions for something. I am not completely sure like I previously stated."

I nodded. If it was sealed that good, then it had to something really important. Without prior notice, the door bell rang and I looked up to him. "You want me to get that?" I asked him as I stood.

"If you do not mind," he said as he clicked away.

I walked over to the door and opened it slowly. I saw Riho- alone. I stared at her oddly and with a small twinge of annoyance. I wanted to know what was getting into her, and I was going to find out.

"I'll step outside," I said as I closed the door behind me. I leaned against the door with my hand on the knob. "So, why are you here?"

She stayed silent for a while before saying anything. She moved around uncomfortably for a few seconds before she spoke. "Uh, well, I just wanted to…" she trailed off.

"Wanted to what?" I asked her in a harsh manner. I had a pretty bad feeling about this.

"Well, I don't think we're going to be able to hang out that much… or live together very well since I made friends."

"Friends? You mean those crazy fan girls?" I asked her in a calmer manner, but still with a sharp edge.

She said nothing as she looked at the ground. She moved her one leg and had her hands behind her back.

"You know what, Riho," I began, "if you wanna get with those lunatics, go ahead." I opened the door and stepped in without turning around. I kept staring at her and before I closed the door, she spoke her last words.

"Hatsune, I'm sorry."

Insulted, I scoffed at her statement. "No, I don't believe you are." I closed the door gently and locked the handle. I returned to my seat and sighed heavily. That was one thing I didn't think could happen. This was going to be fun come new term when we were under one roof. I can only imagine all of the crap hitting the fan. And very often at that.

I heard the computer chair squeak a little as it moved.

"Didn't go as planed, did it?" he asked me as he stood (I assumed).

"Yeah, you could say that." I leaned forward in my seat and he sat next to me. "This is going to suck come January. Do you think I can just stay with you? Please?" I asked him, nearly begging, though it wasn't a conscious action.

He just smiled at me. "Just wait and see what happens. She may regret her action in a few days."

There was some truth to his statement. Riho was sort of fickle. I guess it was just one of those things to shrug off. I looked up at him and asked what was planned for tonight, if anything. He simply shook his head. I just nodded and leaned over to rest my head on his shoulder.

"I guess this will suffice," I mumbled as I got comfortable.

"And if I need to tend to something?" he asked me.

"It can wait."


	27. Unexpected Surprise

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Unexpected Surprise

It was the day before Christmas Eve and Keiko and Botan grabbed me from the warmth of Kurama's home. We went grocery and décor shopping and such for the party tomorrow and the day after. Keiko and Botan each made a list and I helped with opinions, I guess. Our first stop was the mall, and I assumed it was for décor. Nope. Apparently, the two of them thought a new outfit was appropriate and that was one reason I was with them. They complained about my bland attire and the other articles I held- street clothes, attire for sparring, and the like. I wasn't big on dressing up, so I didn't really have much in the way.

The first store was filled with dressed with very feminine detail. There was a dress for any and every occasion, every style and length and whatever else you could imagine. Keiko bolted to the left of the store and Botan to the right. I just stayed in the middle and looked around until something caught my eye. The dress was right above the knee and it was a deep purple to the point where it almost looked black. I loved the color. It was a halter styled dress, but the neckline wasn't obscenely low. Keiko came across a bunch of conservative dresses while Botan pulled a few that were fine on top but needed a few inches on the length or she would end up showing it all. Simultaneously we went to the fitting room and of course I was the first one out. My dress was lovely and it fit extremely well. Keiko next followed Botan out of the rooms. They each had a dress that was striking different when placed next to each other. It was kind of odd actually. Botan dress was a short lengthed black cocktail dress with an embellished oval neck. Keiko had a floor lengthed, quarter sleeved pink dress with a black empire waist band. Her neckline was a scoop and the ends of the sleeves were a little frilly. Like I said, very contrasting.

After the minor detour of dress shopping, all of us hit the grocery store. We split up the list and went our separate ways after agreeeing to meet in front of registers in about thirty minutes. My list was vegetables and dairy. Unfortunately those items were on opposing sides of the store. I hit the dairy section first. Cheese, milk, creamer, ricotta cheese and yogurt were the things I was supposed to grab. And, I needed to grab eggs while I was there, but the little section for eggs was a mess. People had already pillaged the section. I looked around and found one case left and it was all the way in the back. My luck. Little ol' me had to basically crawl into the spot to grab the container, which it was in nearly perfect condition.

I essentially ran to the other side for vegetables and for some reason that side was tidy and it looked untouched. So, before it would become the evil twin, I grabbed what I needed- potatoes, green beans, peas, broccoli, red onions, lettuce, carrots, scallions and mushrooms. I calmly walked to the front and I saw Keiko waiting. I met up with her and we waited for Botan to show up. She was late and trying to get rid of some loon. She walked up to us with a horrified look as the guy continued to bother her.

"Seriously, baby, why don't you and me get back to my apartment. I got a new mattress that we can test drive," he said slyly and coldly.

_What a douche…_

"Why don't you leave her alone. She already told you no!" Keiko said forcefully, which pissed off the guy. He walked up to her and glared at her. His hand moved up, but as a reflex Keiko slapped him across the face. He fell back, but wasn't out cold.

"Bingo! Way to go, Keiko," Botan exclaimed happily.

I stared at the guy as he twitched a little bit. I figured he would be getting up for round two since he wasn't so bright. I suggested we move into a checkout aisle and we only managed a few steps before the punk stood up and rubbed the red side of his face.

"Now, now, girlies," he began. "I don't have to take just one of you home."

Well that did it. I punched him so hard in the face, he actually flew back a foot or two. This time he did stay down. Keiko and Botan stopped and looked shocked, but applauded my attack. The dude was just seriously pissing me off. And, we had other things to tend to at the moment.

After the grocery checkout and mishap, we carried our stuff to Keiko's parent's car. We just left it in the trunk as we walked to the décor store. The building looked small from the outside, but the inside was massive. We only needed a few things, so we looked together. Of course, we ended up grabbing more than what we originally thought of, but it wasn't that bad. We had a few banners and decorative napkins and such of the like. We left without a disturbance and made it back to her car. As we finished setting the stuff in the trunk next to the groceries, the goon returned and with a couple of new faces.

"You've got to be kidding me," I mumbled. Botan looked determined to get rid of them and Keiko was plain out pissed.

One of the new faces was ugly- flat out. He was tall, had a really long face and nasty brown hair. His aviators weren't doing him any favors. The other guy had aviators and bottle-blond hair with a beat up, faded black leather jacket. And of course, the relentless moron was there too. Can't miss his red mug.

"So, maybe I didn't make myself clear last time," the red mug began.

"No, maybe I didn't make myself clear," I said as I showed all of them my fist. "Did you not get enough of an ass beating last time?"

The three of them laughed and the fake blond broke off. "What makes you think you can take me, shorty?"

"Well…" I started but paused. I looked back to the other two and they were ready to take them down. "How about this?" I said as I snapped my finger and he tripped on cue. He was completely oblivious as to what just happened.

"So you think magic is funny huh?"

Well, I wasn't laughing, but sure, sure. Why not? The other two guys walked up to Keiko and Botan and they were on the ground in a few seconds. Red face was out this time thanks to Keiko's super slap. The ugly aviator guy took a little more effort, but he was down when bottle blond hit the ground for the third time.

"Come on, let's get out of here," Keiko said as she hopped into the driver's side. Botan got into the left and I scurried into the back. She took off and we successfully lost the trio and made it back to Kurama's. We carried part of the food into his house so it would stay good. And, because he and I volunteered to do some of the cooking. I set my dress on my bed upstairs and met up with everyone else in the kitchen.

"So, how was your outing?" Kurama asked us.

"Eventful," Botan stated plainly. "There are so many crude guys out there!" That sentence had more oomph behind it. Botan explained the day's events with a lot of detail and we laughed and sighed at the moments. Kurama seemed a little amused at most of it.

"Well, it's refreshing to know you three can handle yourselves," he merely stated.

"I don't mean to be rude, but Botan and I need to get going on preparation for tomorrow," Keiko said. Kurama waved it off as no big deal and the two girls left to go back to Keiko's. I chilled in the kitchen as Kurama looked over all of the ingredients. His looks varied from one to the other. Some were good and some ended in frowns. I wondered if I got something wrong or we missed something.

"Something off?" I asked him.

"No, it is fine, I am just wondering what I am going to do with some of these ingredients is all."

I just nodded and as soon I stood he spoke.

"By the way," he started off. I had no clue what sparked that, but okay. "You need to visit Sakaki. She stopped by while you were out."

"Then, I will go now, I guess," I said as I slipped out of the kitchen and made my way there.

About an hour later, I was walking up the trail to the house. It was incredibly serene and the fresh air was welcomed by my lungs. I stepped over a few branches and made my way to the door. I proceeded to knock, but the door opened and I was greeted by Sakaki. She let me step in and we went straight to business.

"We need to touch on a few things," she started the conversation on. "First, what you did in public today was a little bold. Do not do it again in such minimal circumstances." She paused and I just nodded. I guess I was supposed to do that everytime she stopped. "Second, regardless of your thoughts, I will be honing your powers and in order to do that, I need to extract it from you." I didn't nod that time. I exaggerated my shocked and disturbed look. "As that concentrates and organizes itself, you will learn to survive on your senses and physical attacks. You should be fine."

"Anything else I need to know?" I asked her. I finally got over my initial shock. She was moving fast in this and I was getting left behind at an incredibly rate.

She nodded. "Last, you'll need to be extremely careful. There are other mages around the area and most can pass through the three worlds. They can pick up on your energy and in this soon to be case, lack thereof. Most won't attack, but there are some that are vicious, cutthroat, ruthless… Some will want to recruit you to their side and some will want to dead to avoid future threat. Do you understand?"

I nodded as I said yes.

"Now, hold still," she said as she placed both of her hands on my head. I looked up to them, but as soon as my eyes moved, I felt excruciating pain erupt from my eyes and move throughout every part of my body. I felt like I was right on top of an earthquake and it hurt to breathe. After a few minutes, she removed her hands and a mass of black and purple mist was floating between her hands.

"Is that my energy?" I asked her, perplexed.

"Yes, it is, and it's not that concentrated. I'll be working on that. You may leave, and remember to lean on the side of caution," she got up and walked out of the large area into a very small room.

I stood up slowly and walked out at my natural pace. I made it into the wooded area before I heard footsteps. For the time being, I attributed those to being Sasaki's, but I still aired on the side of caution. I had to remain calm or the only thing I would be hearing would be my obnoxious beating of my heart. I continued as if I had heard nothing and eventually I made it out of her property in one piece. I was pretty sure it was Sasaki at that point. I didn't worry anymore as I made my way into the general woods that would take me to the train back into town. Everyone had to live in the middle of nowhere out here, sheesh.

I took a few steps and was hit by an invisible wall. I stood up and looked around. Nothing. I pushed against the barrier, but it didn't budge. While it was odd, I began to worry. I preceded to walk around it, but again, I was blocked. I was getting more agitated than worried at this point. I heard a twig break and turned around quickly. I saw someone in a black cloak and some type of headdress. I could see a face or hands or anything, so I immediately attributed it to a mage of some sort. Unknown mage number one wants to kill me, I think. It walked closer to me and I just watched it. It had a very dark and deep presence to it. It also seemed vaguely familiar, something I should know. Something all humans should know, but it wasn't making immediate sense.

Whoever this person was didn't matter to me at the moment. I wanted to know intent and why me.

"Who are you?" I asked the mage.

In the center of the cloak, a circle glowed white along with an X in the middle of it. That had yet to answer my question. A blue L overlapped the white image and it fluoresced brightly. Finally the creature spoke, and it had a deep, silky voice.

"I am Mage Luxa." That was all it said as it stepped forward and grabbed the inside of my left wrist. It burnt and bled for a few seconds. Luxa let go and the same mark on its cloak appeared on my wrist. "Now, you must go to sleep."

"Woah, woah, woah!" I interjected, but before I could make my argument, I felt heavy and weak. My knees gave out and my eyes shut as I felt the cold dirt on my face.

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Author's Note: Sorry it took ages to finish this, but I was in the midst of cramming for the AP exams. (And all of the other work I do in school, of course.) The next update should be post AP exams, post band trip and well… maybe post graduation, but I will try my best to get one in around Memorial Day!

And, did you catch the little thing at the end, did ya? Did ya?


	28. Reconnaisance

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Reconnaissance

"I am Mage Luxa." That was all it said as it stepped forward and grabbed the inside of my left wrist. It burnt and bled for a few seconds. Luxa let go and the same mark on its cloak appeared on my wrist. "Now, you must go to sleep."

"Woah, woah, woah!" I interjected, but before I could make my argument, I felt heavy and weak. My knees gave out and my eyes shut as I felt the cold dirt on my face.

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I shot up from a familiar place and I was hysterical. My head flung from side to side and I felt sweat rolling down the sides of my face in mass. My breathing was shallow and fast- I realized I was getting light headed. A warm hand was placed on each side of my face as it was steadied. My eyes were staring into pools of green, brown, red and blue.  
"Good morning," the first of the voices said. A bunch of others chimed in as feet began to move and words began to race around the room.  
"Here, drink this," said a very soft, feminine voice. I turned to see Botan holding a cup of warm tea. I reached out with shaky hands to take it from her. As I took a few sips, she left the room and for a few moments I was with Kurama.

"What happened?" he asked me as I set the cup down. I was still a little dazed.

I shook my head before I spoke. It was more out of frustration than confusion than emotion. I sighed and explained the minute amount that I remembered. It was odd, it seemed planned- coldly calculated.  
"Well, you are not going anywhere alone until you can defend yourself," Kurama firmy stated.

To be honest, there was no argument from yours truly because he was correct. I heaved what seemed to be a very heavy sigh, but it was clear it wasn't what it seemed. Kurama left the room and I took the opportunity to shower and change. I still felt a little icky from the dirt and all.

"Hey, Hatsune, you want to help out with the cooking and prep?" asked Keiko and Botan in unison when I entered the kitchen. They said it rather loudly, so I figured I would go along with it.

"Yeah," I yelled in their ears as I stood behind them. They jumped a little bit and showed their displeasure. I stepped between them to start stirring the soup and marinades. I wasn't sure what they were making or what I should be doing, but at least it was something to do.

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Loud music and screeching sounds were constantly erupting from Keiko's place as everyone enjoyed the drinks, the food, and the karaoke. Kuwabara was singing a crazy, upbeat love song to Yukina. She looked moderately nervous, but she always smiled for Kuwabara when he looked over and winked. Hiei didn't look pleased, but then again Kuwabara wasn't the best singer, so that could have been why. Or he liked Yukina a lot, but I think I'll go with the safer option for now. I wasn't interested in meeting his katana any time ever, not soon- ever.

Kuwabara set the mic down on the table and ran over to Yukina. On his knees, he held her hands and stared deep into her eyes. It was a little creepy and Yukina was wondering what was going on. It was just that apparent on her face.

"Uh, Kazuma," she began but he cut her off with his finger. Silence!

"My love!" he exclaimed as he jumped up and began to showcase himself as a champion. Not sure what kind of champion, but it was sort of going for him… sort of. Well, after a few seconds he began to look like a glorified idiot, and he and Yusuke got into a fight about something ridiculous. I think Yusuke was drunk. No, I know he was drunk- I could smell the whiskey from here, clear as day.

I shook my head and sighed as a smile crept from my face. Tonight was going to be a long night and tomorrow was going to drag a little from all of the hangovers.

Alas, tomorrow came in the form of Christmas Day. The morning was spent at Kurama's house as his mother gave us each a present. We had a wonderful breakfast and we parted with her for the party that Botan had orchestrated. It was supposed to be in Koenma's quarters, but when he found out about the surprise, he flipped. Botan managed to get it at Yusuke's apartment and, lucky for us, his mother was out with random friends at a bar. We set up shop there and Botan threw the ham and turkey in the oven at the same time. I guess she felt like she was pressed for time.

About an hour of scrambling around and pushing Yusuke out of the kitchen, we finished cooking and set up the table. Everyone took a seat then we presented the main proteins of the night. The ham and turkey were already carved. As soon as I set the ham down and Botan set the turkey down, Yusuke and Kuwabara dove for the opposing plates. It wasn't pretty, let's put it that way.

"I guess they're over the hangover," I mumbled.

While we ate, we talked and messed around with each other. Hiei sat near the window and away from everyone for a while, but Kurama managed to get Yukina to bring him over. While that was happening, Kurama left. He said something about going home and spending some time with his mother. The few of us who noticed said a rather silent goodbye for the night. I stayed to hang out with everyone. I'm sure someone would end up walking me back.

We continued to chat and drink and chat. The drinking never stopped and by the end of the night everyone was wasted except for a handful of people. Hiei, Yukina and I were fine. Yusuke and Kuwabara were buzzed enough to try to fight each other multiple times in a matter of seconds. Botan and Keiko were on the floor and weren't moving anytime soon. I decided to turn them on their sides, just incase they get sick. I decided to call it a night and I proceeded to leave, but two morons had managed to take their tussle to the door.

My head limply fell forward and I was not about to get in the middle of their brawl, so I decided to redirect it. I grabbed an empty wine bottle from Botan's hand and threw it above Kuwabara's head. Both of them looked up and around, which lead to the break-up of their physical attack on each other. I walked between them and exited the residence. I continued to walk even though I was supposed to have someone with me. I figured a drunken person wouldn't do any good and someone had to stay with Yukina. I made it to the sidewalk before I could hear one of the drunks yelling in my general direction.

"Hey! Wait up," he yelled.

I thought he would take the stairs, but he jumped. I just watched. Normally, I would be amused, but Yusuke was drunk. It was just plain stupid now.

"You're not goin' anywhere without me!" he exclaimed as his thumb made contact with his chest.

I sighed and kept walking. I didn't bother to turn to see if he was there- he was making plenty of noise. Plenty. It was late at night and lights were turning on to see the source of the noise, so I decided through the park would be the best option. I didn't want the cops tailing us or mages for that matter.

I entered the park when I felt a burning sensation on my wrist. The same place where that mark had been was currently burning. Nothing was there, but it felt like a match was thrown onto me. That person or thing or whatever was very close. It was watching me, searching for me, and I think I might have fallen into a trap. I looked around quickly and bolted toward Kurama's house, even though I wasn't really close to it. Mr. Drunk was right behind me, of course. I stopped as I exited the park and I came to a familiar place. I knew I was getting very close and even though the burning was still there, I felt relieved. Until Yusuke ran right into me, that is. I turned to avoid a face plant into the cement and he fell on top of me. That was very uncomfortable. I groaned.

"Really, Yusuke, no more alcohol for you ever," I stated lightly.

I tried to prop myself up on my elbows, but he was out for a few seconds. I waited until he rolled over. I stood up and brushed off. I took a few steps and felt instantaneously sick to my stomach. I stepped over to the edge of the curb and I threw up. I did that a few times before I felt relieved and was greeted with a wonderful headache. Dizziness took hold and I took a few steps back before attempting to sit down, but I was held up by whiskey breath. It seemed like he was beginning to sober up a little bit.

"Hey, you all right?"

"Nah…" It seemed like the last part of that word drug on forever. I made a partially successful attempt to stand. "Okay, I can make it," I said as I took a few steps before falling over. My groan lasted for a few seconds. I balled up for a few minutes to try to collect myself. This wasn't the first time this happened, I think anyway.

"Hey, come on. Get up," he said. I was shook before I got a warning of some sort that I blew off. I got hot handed and I did shoot up from the new pain. I got in his face and stared him down, regardless of the present pain.

"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again." I said plainly and slowly.

"What about this?" he asked me right before he kissed me.

I felt that same sickness and before I could really do anything to prevent it, I threw up. "Conviniently" he was there and kissing me.

Sucks to be Yusuke right now.

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Author's Note: Well, I was close to getting this out by Memorial Day… not really, but I'm trying. I'm getting ready for graduation, I'm a liiitle busy. Class registration is coming around the corner, so I'm hoping I get another one out before then. Getting closer to the end of the first part of this series.


	29. After a While

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: After a While**

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Months had passed and February came around. From December until now, everything was smooth; well, after my throwing up on Yusuke, that is. It was sheer accident, I promise. I was supposed to get my own defenses back within a week. Simultaneously, Valentine's Day was in that next week, so I guess that's perfect timing. That and I'm sure Hiei was not enjoying following me around when I ran certain errands or just felt like leaving my apartment complex.

Yeah, I moved out of Kurama's and in with Kuraiya and Riho. Kuraiya and I were having the time of our lives while Riho was talking it up on the phone to her new group of friends that were still plotting my death. I was in an awkward position, but I guess the old saying goes. It always gets super weird when they come over. That's when I usually leave. Sometimes I go to Kurama's house just because I can and I enjoy his company obviously.

Today, I was at Kurama's house. It was after school on Friday, so I just met him at the doors and we walked out together, obviously catching some nasty stares from the fan club. I was getting tired of them- no, I was tired of them.

When we got there, his mother was home. We talked to her for a while before she left for work. I wished her a good day since she had to work a nine hour shift. Poor her- she'd be up for the next twelve hours at least. When she left, I plopped onto the couch and quickly finished up the homework I didn't get around to in study hall. Kurama was upstairs doing something, so it was all good for the moment. I put my book back into my bag when he came down the stairs, in a hurry mind you.

"We need to go," he stated as he slipped his shoes back on. I ran to the door and slipped mine on as I ran to catch up to him. I was a few steps behind, but it was close enough to start asking what we were doing.

"What's going on, Kurama? Why are we hauling ass?"

"Need to get to the nearest portal to get to Spirit World. Koenma has something urgent."

"I thought you had one in your backyard?"

"They rotate."

I just nodded as I followed his quick pace. I wasn't sure where the portal had moved, but it sure was a long ways away from his house. The run took forever- even though it was only fifteen minutes. We met up with everyone before the portal would unlock and let us through. It was one of Koenma's new security standards… That or he wanted to show off.

We essentially flew into his office and landed in chairs. It was miraculous and very wrong. He was there when he arrived, so we waited for a few minutes. In the mean time, Rahvanna was talking to me about random things- history, the clouds in the sky, hell life. I think she was on something, but that's just me.

Koenma floated into his chair as Rahvanna was ending her conversation with me. Making himself comfortable, he lowered the big, flat screen and had all of the connections turned on. We were in for a movie or a mission tape since Koenma was showing his logo off.

There was plenty of fire, destruction and corpses strewn across the land. There were clumps of trees and barren land scattered across the area of the video shown. A map appeared on the screen and pointed out the area of concern. Circles appeared around the areas of caution and three colors denoted the lords' territories. Koenma paused it on the map and explained the issue with the Makai.

"Okay, in the small amount of unclaimed land are rogues running loose. Many have initiated their first of many plans in the Makai. Two groups have infiltrated Tourin and two are on their way into Gandera. My intelligence tells me the next two groups will go toward's Mukuro's lands, but will make a sudden change of course and head to the border between the Makai and here. When that happens, I'll need all of you to defend the border."

"What happened to your force squad? They pussy out of this one?" Yusuke asked in disgust.

I guess he wasn't up for grunt work at the moment.

"When does your intelligence expect their arrival?" Kurama asked.

"Well, the first estimates say end of the month, but I have a feeling the groups will speed it up to try to catch us by surprise. I'll send Botan over if anything changes."

He shooed us off, and we of course left the premises. No one really wanted to be there, especially on a Friday afternoon. Since no one really had any plans, Kuwabara decided we should go see a movie. He had no clue what was playing, but just to go and watch something would be better than doing nothing. All of us, including Hiei by force of Rahvanna, walked to the movie theatre in town. We were in a tie between horror and action. Hiei, Rahvanna and Kurama wanted to watch the horror flick. Yusuke, Kuwabara and I wanted to see and action film. It was supposed to be a group thing, so in order to solve the differences, janken was called in- Yusuke versus Rahvanna, best two out of three. Lo and behold Rahvanna won and off we went to see a horror flick. Personally, I didn't care, but I wanted to see what would happen if the group ended up split down the middle. Not as interesting as I thought it would be.

I have no idea what the movie was called, but I was beginning to get the plot. Girl walks into graveyard at night, alone, and meets the zombies and runs while screaming bloody murder. Quite literally this time. It was stupid beyond all epic proportions. I mean, the action movie couldn't have been worse than this.

We got out of the movie and no one seemed thrilled. Now what was there to do? Rahvanna suggested we go to get ice cream, but it just seemed so early for that. No one was in that mood other than her. We stood outside the cinema for a little while thinking about it. In that time process, Rahvanna and I got a few looks and whistles. At the end of a few minutes of thinking, the guys eventually came to an agreement on the arcade. Well, Kurama and Hiei were impartial- Yusuke and Kuwabara were more interested. Rahvanna and I were pretty much against it, so we decided to go with them just to avoid thinking about something else.

The two 'kids' raced there and the rest of us took our leisure. When we got there, we saw them duking it out at a game of foosball. It was pure entertainment- the looks on their faces. We had a good time watching those two verbally fight it out. We four were sitting at the other end of the arcade.

It was relatively empty, so it was nice until Yusuke started cheering. He tackled Kuwabara and was rubbing in his win. As he was doing this, I got a call on my cell from Kuraiya.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"You have to get over here right now. Now. Now. Now!"

"Woah, woah, woah! Why? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah! Our place got torched," Kuraiya yelled into the phone.

My expression went from entertained and smiley to shocked and confused. I didn't know what had happened or what was going on, but it wasn't good.

"Hey!"

"I'm still on the frickin line. I'll be there in a bit."

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Author's Note: Okay, so this is a little on the short side of my plan, but I'm rolling with it. I plan to finish this before I go to school in the fall, so I'm on a mission. Reviews are appreciated and might give me ideas on twists and stuff like that. Feel free to give constructive criticism. :D


	30. What a Disaster

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**Chapter Thirty: What a Disaster**

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I ran and everyone followed except Hiei- he was long there before we were. Nothing but smoke was rolling out of the door and there were many cars around the building.

Right now, life sucked and I hadn't even seen the damage.

It was getting late and I was tired, but I definitely wasn't going to be sleeping in my room.

"Why don't you stay at my house for a few days until they clear it up?" Kurama asked as a way to help out.

I must admit, I didn't want to take it, but I mean the smoke rolling out wasn't as pretty so I didn't argue. Since it would be clear for a few hours everyone decided to go to Kurama's just to hang out for the rest of the time. We watched a good movie this time and everyone had their own popcorn so there weren't five hands in one person's bucket.

Yusuke threw popcorn at selected people, but he threw a few extra in my general direction. I grabbed a handful and returned the favor quicker than he could even realize. Hopefully that was all that I had to waste. Popcorn is way too good to waste.

Ten o'clock rolled around as the clock sounded and that was the cue for everyone to go their separate ways. I picked up the random pieces of popcorn and Kurama took care of other things in order to clean up the living room. I disposed of the pieces in the wastebasket and washed my hands as Kurama entered the kitchen. He started washing the bowls and I took a seat.

"I left that small duffel bag in the spare room, right?"

"Yes, why?" Kurama turned to face her since he was done with the small bowls.

"There are clothes in it." I smiled at my accidental thinking ahead. "If you don't mind, I'll take a shower."

"Not at all."

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Post-shower, I ventured into the spare room that I once called my own. I dug the duffel bag out of the closet and began sifting through it. I found a yellow sleeping tank and black sleeping shorts. Bumblebee-ish…

I trotted down the stairs and found Kurama in the same place that I left him. I took a seat next to him and just waited to see what would come of it. It was the sound of knocking at the door, which was unexpected, so he had me stay in the kitchen.

I didn't know who exactly, but it sounded like a girl- my guess was it was someone in that insane fan club that drools over him night and day. And, it was a new one since I couldn't place the voice.

I could hear her insist that she come in and talk to him. It was vital as she put it. I doubted that greatly. Wouldn't be surprised if she helped burn down the apartment. The door closed, but I still heard her voice, so she really insisted on coming in. I could be in a little trouble.

She waltz into the kitchen and froze. I looked at her- she was confused and in utter shock. Also, she wasn't happy. Not. At. All.

"Shuichi, what is she doing here? She's so rude and abrasive," she said as she burned holes into my head.

I wanted to say something, but I guess it wouldn't have been appropriate to open my mouth. I just sat there and waited until she was done yapping. She had funny flailing moves and in imagining her mouth in slow motion was priceless. I had to stop before I started laughing at her- that would require some explaining.

Kurama managed to get her to stop and somehow out the door without too many extra terms.

I need to learn how to do that. It's official- I'm going to dye my hair red.

* * *

AN: Okay, so I know it's super short, but I had to do something I felt a little more comfortable with and something comical. I think I accomplished that.


	31. Newly Found Powers

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**Chapter Thirty-One: Newly Found Powers**

* * *

On my way back from Sakaki and Sasaki's, I was completely elated and I ran fast to show it and to kill some of the pent up energy. I finally got my powers back. At first, it looked odd- it was a big black ball of energy that had a feisty temper, warm too. I didn't complain much since I didn't want someone following me all the time. The company was nice, save Hiei when he was in a completely grouchy mood.

It was after sunset when I got back to Kurama's house. I was still staying with him even though it was about a month after the incident. When his mom got wind of the incident, she insisted and insisted hard that I stay with them for the remainder of the school year. She used her son as leverage and the fact that they were in a good neighborhood. To make her feel better, I did- for her sake, mainly.

Anyway, I walked into his house. The kitchen was barely lit, made it seem like no body was home, but it was just odd.

_Didn't realize everyone had plans to go out…_

I walked into the kitchen and flipped the light on. I took a seat and no sooner than I did that, everyone came running from the living room into the kitchen yelling anything from 'SURPRISE!', 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!', and anything else they could think of.

At that point I was glad I was seated. A cake was placed on the table with candles lit and all. I received too man hugs to count and I got sung to by a group who had no musical talent, at least, not for this song anyway. I was all smiles none-the-less. It was nice.

"Aw, thanks everyone," I said as the candles began to smoke and I actually got a look at the cake. It was brightly colored and it looked very appetizing. "Is the ice cream just as bright?" I asked, curiosity becoming clear.

Botan pulled it out of the freezer- Superman. Oh, yeah, it was going to be bright and a lovely mix of fruit flavors with what appeared to be a vanilla and strawberry marbled cake. Yum.

"So," I started as I cut into the side of the cake, "whose idea was this?"

Everyone began to look around. Apparently, the mastermind or masterminds who orchestrated this weren't in the room. I looked around and noticed that Kuwabara and Kurama weren't around. Something was up.

"What's going on, guys, this isn't cool. Don't make me wait!" I stated as I smiled. Something cool was going to happen and I wanted immediate gratification.

"Well, come on, then," Botan said as she, Keiko and Yukina grabbed a hold of me and drug me upstairs. They led to the room I occupied and flipped the lights on. It was beautiful: the room was a dual color theme of yellow and blue with green accents. The bedding was yellow and blue vertical stripes as was the curtains, but the hooks were green. The walls were yellow and blue striped as well, but the wall with the window was green- the lovely accent wall. The green throw rug was placed in the middle and was circular. The desk was cleaned up and organized- all of the accessories were green. Above it were two framed posters of replicated artwork; Dali- magnificent.

"Do you like it?" Yukina asked her.

"Like it? Of course not, I love it! I exclaimed. I couldn't have asked for a better present. I knew a lot of work went into this, so I immediately thanked the girls for going shopping. I knew they did it- the tastes were too good for the guys to go do it. I figured Kuwabara and Kurama did a lot of the painting and moving furniture around.

"This is really amazing, guys, thank you."

"Well, I'm glad ya like it. Hate for ya to say otherwise. It was a lotta work for to guys," Kuwabara said as he entered the room. Kurama followed him in. Both held smiled as they say my face.

"Did you two just finish this?"

Both of them looked at each other.

"I wouldn't say just finished," Kuwabara said.

"About five hours ago," Kurama answered.

* * *

Post-party clean-up was arduous: Kurama took the living room and I took the kitchen. Within the hour, we were finished and tired. The couch was our reprieve from standing.

"Happy birthday and White day, Hatsune," Kurama said as he gave her a hug.

"Thank you," I stated lightly. I was tired from the cleaning. A bunch of people making an even bigger mess was just too much for two people.

I stood up and stretched. A few bones popped as this happened.

"You know what sounds great right now?" I asked Kurama.

"Sleep?"

"That too, but a shower would be better first."

He chuckled. "Yes, I suppose so."

The backdoor opened and Yusuke and Kuwabara crashed the silent party.

"Sorry to ruin the moment, but we've been called by binkie breath, so come on," Yusuke said in a not so happy mood.

My head slumped forward in defeat. "I really hate Koenma right about now."

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, so the chapter is still short, but this is going to start the wrap up of the first installment of this series. I'm sorry that I'm so slow with the updates, but the YYH juices aren't as frequent as the NCIS ones (and that's only because NCIS is still shown on TV... I have no DVD player in my room and everyone else hogs it all blasted day). I'm working on the next chapter right now, so it shouldn't be a long update. Now, as I type I must also read- I have summer homework to tend to.


	32. One More Month Until Goodbye

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**Chapter Thirty-Two: One More Month Until Goodbye**

* * *

The 'urgent' call from Koenma looked like a hoax since he wasn't anywhere to be seen when we arrived. Some of us sat in chairs, some stood, but I was so tired that I was sprawled out on the floor. A few ogres ran in and out of the room and Botan was still on the search for Koenma.

The screen in his office lowered itself and had the black and white fuzz on before the picture came in.

"Yo," he greeted us, the impatient bunch.

"Hey, what the hell is goin' on?" Yusuke blurted out instantly.

Koenma glared at him as I stood up to make sure I could see what was going on. Koenma took up most of the screen save the bottom right corner- there was a map of the demon plane.

"I'll get to the point since all of you are just happy to see me," Koenma sarcastically threw out. "Minor territorial spats have already snapped the strings pulled by the tension in the regions, especially the neutral one. A full scale war is imminent and I need you to go in there and settle it or keep it at bay until we can get to the bottom of all of this. Something is wrong and it threatens the barrier between the worlds."

"Uh, how's that gonna work, Koenma?" Kuwabara asked.

"Uh, well, you see," Koenma began. His fingers were moving quickly as he tried to get the topic to shift to something else.

"You're not going," Hiei flatly said to him.

Kuwabara shot a look at Hiei and gave one to Koenma also. "What a minute," he started his rant, "what am I supposed to do then? I don't plan on sittin around and doin nothing!"

"No, no, of course not. I have a special job for you, Kuwabara, just find Botan; she has your assignment," Koenma quickly stated. He shooed him away so he could seriously talk with the rest of us.

"Now, that I have no distractions," he started the real conversation. "Send them in," he told to an ogre that was near him. The doors behind us opened and Rahvanna and a stumbling Kuraiya walked in. Rahvanna was clad in her normal black and lace vintaged style clothing and Kuraiya was a little bruised since it seemed like he was running into everything.

"I'm sending parties of two into each ruling territory. All of you will have the communicators, but don't make it obvious! I want updates and teamwork from all of you. Every. Single. One. Of. You. You'll go in next month. Now, do I have to divide you into groups, or do you think you can figure it out?" Koenma asked.

When he did so, Kuraiya bumped into the desk in front of all of us. Kurama pulled him back and made sure he stayed put.

"Kurama, I trust that you can be the temporary eye-seeing dog, if you'll pardon the expression."

He simply nodded. At that point, everyone had confirmation that Kuraiya had gone completely blind.

"We are clear then. You'll have one month to get ready- do what you need to do to prepare yourself for the demon plan, especially you three," he pointed at Kuraiya, Rahvanna and me. "Not so much you, but you two." The first half was reference to

Rahvanna and the latter half was to Kuraiya and me.

I had a month to figure out everything that was changed and bettered about my powers. That was a positive thing.

"Oh and one more thing," Koenma threw in as all of us began to leave.

"Get acquainted with the person you'll be spending most of your time with, for your benefit."

Well, spending time with Yusuke wouldn't be so bad. A month wasn't a long time, but the time I was over in another realm would be something to get accustomed to. All of us walked out and parted. We would start tomorrow on the basics of everything and training would start immediately after the game plan was set.

* * *

Author's Note: I had to make this one really short so the last two chapters could be more coherent and longer. I plan to make the next update at the end of this week and the final one at the end of next week, possibly sooner. I might throw in an epilogue if it's wanted. I will see. The one at the end of the week should be good since I'll have nothing better to do other than deal with the pain of four wisdom teeth extractions. Yuck.


	33. Rigorous Training Guaranteed

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Rigorous Training Guaranteed**

* * *

I squeaked as I hit the dirt and rolled quite some number of feet. I sat up and looked up in time to dodge another hit that made a small crater in the ground.

Punched were thrown wildly and swiftly- I possibly blocked half of them and took the other half or so. They hurt. I didn't care. I knew it would be a part of my training, and I needed to last more than an hour this time or Yusuke would never forgot that I failed at my own challenge.

"That all you got?" he yelled as he threw his last few punches.

Just because I wanted to I managed to block the last round and stay standing.

"Ha!" I immediately threw out. "I'm still standing!" Albeit I was rather bruised and slightly bloody from all the punches and rolls in the dirt.

"Yeah, but you suck," Yusuke stated as he spit to his left and wiped away seemingly nonexistent sweat on his forehead. "Step it up. We've got like a week and you're not doin' shit."

I nodded and mock smiled at him. "Thanks for the great support." I took in a deep breath and released it. "Jackass," I mumbled under my breath.

"Hey! I heard that," Yusuke said as he made faces at me. He didn't like my last comment much, but it was true, I think.

Without much warning, we silently agreed to a staring contest. We were in each other's face- as much as possible since he is taller than I am. A minute passed; we were good. Another- we were decent. By the third minute, I had a twitch growing in my right eye and he began moving his arms a little bit.

"What the hell is this? Some pointless human game?"

He and I looked over, eyes wide open, and saw Hiei and Rahvanna standing there, watching us with odd expressions.

"Staring contest, Hiei." Yusuke was working hard to keep his eyes open, but I had a plan to win- it was dirty, but it would suffice.

I kicked up dirt and it got in one of his eyes. They immediately shut. And, I conquered- albeit in a literally dirty manner, but whatever works. To show my victory I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Well, it seems like you two are not getting much done."

I looked over this time, since Yusuke was buying getting dirt out of his eye, and I saw Kurama and Kuraiya, who seemed a little confused.

"Is this a reunion or something?" I asked.

"No. Just checking on progress, which appears to be nonexistent."

"That's where you're wrong. I just won a three minute staring contest." I said it, but there wasn't anything behind it. It wasn't exactly something to be proud of, at least not to me for more than a few seconds.

Hiei and Rahvanna's stare didn't change- Kurama just gave a blank stare.

"Well, that's better than what we were doing earlier," I mumbled. Admitting that I still sucked wasn't on the agenda- my agenda, anyway. I'm not so hot when it comes to hand to hand to foot to face combat. Just not my thing.

"So," Yusuke interjected into the silence since he had tended to his eye. "What're you guys really doin' here?"

"We're going to train in a more useful environment," Hiei stated plainly as he talked about him and Rahvanna.

"The same," Kurama spoke as Hiei finished.

"Oh," Yusuke said as he though about something. "Maybe I should do the same thing."

"It can't be any worse," I assumed.

* * *

In the demon realm, Yusuke watched as I trained with the soldiers. They had a little more patience and skill that seemed to work better with me.

"Lord Yusuke," said the central monk, Hokushin.

"Yeah?"

"She's improving in hand to hand combat." He gave his report and stood strong as he waited for a response.

"Yeah, I guess that's all good and everything, but what level does it all come to?" he asked him.

I was within earshot of the entire conversation, so I began to get a little curious. What were levels and all the other things that were mentioned. I wanted to know 'cause at the moment it pertained to me. They were talking about my progress and what it equated to. I asked one of the soldiers I was training with and he began to explain levels and such as the conversation behind me continued.

"Which level do you want to know?" he asked Yusuke.

"She has more than one?" he said loudly- enough to distract everyone and make them stare at him, me included.

"Uh, perhaps we should carry on this conversation elsewhere. Possibly out of range of the trainee and the trainers?"

Without a reply, Yusuke turned and walked away from the group with Hokushin right next to him.

I looked at the two that walked away and at the group that was helping. "Hey, guys," I addressed the soldiers, "can I see what that's about, be back in whenever it gets settled or when they toss me out of their way?"

Most of them looked at me and a few nodded, giving me the okay to do so.

"Thanks, I'll try to make it quick." I took off after the duo before I lost them. They weren't that far, so I walked up on them, making it obvious in every sense of the word.

"You're not good at stealth," the well dressed one stated.

"Not trying to be sneaky or anything," I said, I stopped when I was a few inches from them. "Just curious."

"You're lucky you're not a cat," Yusuke threw out.

"That's all right. It's only one life- eight more to go," I threw in.

"Whadd'ya want? 'Cause I know damn well you're supposed ta be doin' something else," Yusuke said sternly.

"I wanna know what you're talking about 'cause I know it's about me!"

Both of them stared at each other and somehow came to a silent agreement. Both of them sat down and I followed suit since I had no clue what was going on now. I waited until one of them started to speak just because everything that would be coming out of my mouth would be questions not statements.

"Well, your obvious level is a C class, maybe upper C class," Hokushin stated bluntly.

"Is that good?"

Yusuke stared at me with this blank, but somewhat unnerving expression.

"It's bad… Got it. So…" I stated rather sheepishly.

"Well, from what Lord Yusuke has told me, you had some recontouring done to your spiritual powers."

"Mmm, yes, and?" I asked as the end of Hokushin's statement lingered in the air.

"Well, it's shocking that you seem to be peaking at a C class. Something isn't right."

My eyes were as wide as they could possibly get. I looked between the two of them. They were confusing me more than anything and I didn't have to say anything to let those two know that I wasn't getting a straight answer out of them.

"Well, I guess we oughta toss her into the forest. Worst that can happen is she dies," Yusuke said- with a straight face too.

"Yusuke!"

* * *

**Author's Note:** I just thought it'd be nice to end it right there. Not as long as I thought, but it was longer, so I kept my word. One more chapter and then possibly an epilogue. See ya then. :D


	34. Glowing

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Glowing**

* * *

**Author's Note:** I have to do this now so that everything will make sense. Okay, this will be mostly in third person so that everyone in the story gets mentioned and stuff. There will be italicized moments and those will be in the original first person. You'll see. = ]

* * *

The air was strong with tension as the three of them fell silent after Yusuke's comment and Hatsune's outburst. Hokushin looked into the neutral forests of the Makai- knowing the danger that she would be thrown into if they just tossed her in there and waited to see what would happen. Mulling over the suggestion that would probably end up being the only quick option, he nodded and stood still. His mind was made up.

"All right then. Your happy little ass gets to spend time in the woods. Have fun," Yusuke told her as he picked her up and quite literally threw her into the forest.

In her mind, there was no point in protesting because, well, she was already in the forest. She looked around- her surroundings were very crowded with plant life. Trees and bushes and vines grew madly about as she tried to figure out exactly where she was. Not knowing how far she got thrown into the brush, she stood and wiped the dirt off her. Unsure of herself and her position, she meandered. Wild, bold flowers were everywhere- they caught her eye. Some of them looked like the roses Kurama had- like the one he had given her before all of them left for this realm.

* * *

_My last day of 'human world bullshit', as Hiei had deemed it, came to an end, close to it anyway. I packed a few articles of clothing into a small duffel bag and tossed some other things in there. I don't know when I'm gonna get to reading a book, but it couldn't hurt._

_I heard footsteps and automatically thought Yusuke 'cause he kept going on about needing to realize when someone's coming behind you and things like that. I was tired and exasperated from all of that, and if it was him, it just would end in disaster before it even started._

_I looked over my shoulder and saw my favorite red-head- relief overcame my nerves. He looked calm and he had something in his hands, but I couldn't tell what it was._

_I just watched him carefully as he approached and revealed a fully blossomed, beautiful red rose- thorns and all._

_I saw everything in a slowed version of what time actually was- in a fluid motion he reached out and placed the rose in my hands and retracted._

* * *

She kept walking into the forest, possibly deeper and deeper into an unknown that she wasn't prepared for. As she continued in, there was less colorful vegetation and more barren land. Peculiar was a good way to describe the random patch of dirt. It looked like someone or something had a battle here- everything surrounding it was lush.

She frantically looked around when a moving bush caught her attention- it echoed, so it was hard for her to pinpoint the exact location of whatever was out there.

----------------------------------------------------------

Hokushin and the soldiers had shown Lord Yusuke a small, obsolete looking screen that pinpointed Hatsune's location.

"Wow, you guys have somethin' like this? It's kinda cool," Yusuke said as he and the others watched as her dot stopped. "Hey, what's up with that?"

Everyone save Yusuke looked around and all their eyes focused on Hokushin.

"Seems like the young girl has come across an opponent."

----------------------------------------------------------

A strong gust of wind sprouted from nowhere and encircled her. Realizing there wasn't an obvious way out, she was a bit worried. Defense or offense was the question racing faster than the gust. Eyes focused forward, she listened and waited for something to change- everything stopped. No more gust. No more steps. No more noise.

For a moment.

The notorious and random starting and stopping of her heart kicked in. There was no pattern and she couldn't get it to stop. The beating was hard, erratic and extremely thunderous. Nervous that she knew that she was completely known to whomever was out there, she had a moment where she thought she lost it. For a few seconds, she couldn't see anything and her hands were frozen. When everything seemed normal to her, she blinked and everything glowed in her eyes. The luminosity of surrounding plant life and even her hands had a lovely greenish-yellow aura that traced her body and the edges of everything else.

Mesmerized by this new feat she managed to pull, she barely heard the shriek of a creature that was being tortured by her powers- unknown to her. She walked in the direction she heard the high-pitched whine and saw a rapidly deteriorating winged animal. It was wrapped in strings that gave off steam, but to her, it gave off radiance. When it was nothing but ashes, the familiar strings retracted into the palm of her hands, but, again, to her, it just looked like a lustrous ball.

* * *

_The glow of my hands reminds me of my last hours in 'human world bullshit'. (I'm slowly growing accustomed to Hiei's phrases.) I wanted to leave early just to get the whole goodbye thing done- with Kurama, that is. Every time I crossed his way, he looked serene, like nothing was gonna happen, like nothing was wrong, like nothing was on his mind. I got a little too curious and asked him questions. He just looked at me, his calm demeanor forward, and motioned for me to sit down next to him._

_We talked- mainly he did since he was answering my questions. It was relaxing. There weren't any laughs- it was all business, so to speak. None-the-less, I did enjoy the brief conversation._

_In hindsight, I enjoyed what happened after it more._

* * *

She walked back to where she was thrown, the disturbed dirt and grass very noticeable. Deciding it wouldn't be a bad assumption to turn to her right and walk out, she did so. When she finally came out of the brush and into a familiar civilization, she stared all of the soldiers and the two commanders in the eye.

"That wasn't cool."

No one staid anything- they were too busy staring at her.

"What?" she asked them in a slightly exasperated tone. She just walked out of a potentially dangerous zone for her and all they can do is stare. Fabulous.

One of the soldiers had enough audacity to speak. "It's your eyes."

Realizing she couldn't look at her own eyes without a mirror, she stared Yusuke and Hokushin down. "Well?"

Hokushin motioned for the soldiers to take their leave and practice elsewhere as they discussed what just happened. They did so.

"So, was everything dark over there?" Yusuke asked her.

"No. Everything is still very bright. Why?"

Yusuke and Hokushin exchanged a brief worried look.

"It was dark on this end," Yusuke mumbled. "Floated around and all."

A quick beep sound was heard by all three. Yusuke dug around in his pocket until he pulled his communicator out. Opening it, he was graced by Hiei's face and voice.

"Detective, what the hell is going on over there that makes the entire Makai plunge into temporary darkness?

"The entire Makai into darkness? Hell, that's sweet!" Yusuke exclaimed. No one in his land knew the extent of what Hatsune did for a few seconds.

"Idiot, whatever or whoever did that is obviously a formidable object. It needs to be dealt with."

Overhearing that, Hatsune walked over and titled her head into view of the compact. "So, what are we gonna do about little ol' me?"

Hiei's face was a mix of disgust and slight shock. He was not expecting such a force from her- that trainer of hers must have had something to do with it.

Another beep echoed and Hatsune reached into her pocket. She was graced with the voices of Kurama and Kuraiya.

"Hey, kiddo, how ya been?" Kuraiya yelled.

"Fine… So why the random call?"

"Was it momentarily dark where you are?" Kurama asked her.

"You'd have to ask Yusuke. To me, everything shines. It's so bright right now," she told them.

Kurama's expression went from plain to slightly surprised. "Oh, so you are the source of the temporary obscurity. It was enough to get the attention of Yomi…" he trailed off before he said too much that confused her or gave away everything they were working on.

Though the six were working together to keep some peace, they couldn't exchange everything that went on. Some things had to remain a secret.

After a few extra moments of straightening everything up, all compacts were shut and everything was supposed to go back to 'normal'.

"So, I'm gonna find a way for everything to stop being so colorful," Hatsune stated as she walked away from them. She was headed toward her small, yet private quarters located in the middle of the tower that stood tall and represented the land. She sat on the only chair in the room and stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were a sight to behold- the shine that expanded from the iris was glamorous. She was shocked at how she looked- it was different and it left her with many unanswered inquiries.

Sighing, she left her vanity behind and stepped into the bathroom where she thought she might be able to wash away all the dirt and sweat and glow. As soon as the bath was drawn she stepped in and began washing all the physical worries away, save those eyes.

Later, on her bed, she stared at the ceiling. The radiance the ceiling seemed to have dimmed as time passed. After a while, she got up and chased the thought of vanity. There was significantly less shimmer in her eyes. Not gone, but close.

* * *

_'There is always some radiance to you,' he told me before I left the room to grab a glass of water. I wanted to momentarily forget the water and ask him what he meant, but I just walked out of the living space and into the kitchen. I picked up a glass and filled it. Jumping up, I positioned myself to sit on the counter. I mulled over what he said as I drank water. It was an interesting statement, I can give it that._

_I set the water down and hopped off the counter. I was tired and the official goodbye wouldn't be until morning, so I was set on sleeping through the lame-duck period. I walked up the stairs and made a quick stop by the bathroom to wash my face. When I walked out, fresh face and all, Kurama had just taken the last step of the stairs._

_"You are going to sleep rather early," he stated._

_"I really don't have much else to do." I walked toward my bedroom, but he had something else to say. He placed his hand on my shoulder and I gave him my attention. My face gave off the 'yes?' effect._

_"There is something I want to show you."_

_I followed him into his room and, at the time, I had no clue what he was talking about. I found out shortly after the door clicked._

* * *

**Another Author's Note:** Okay, so not all of the italicized first person spots are in order, but it shouldn't be too hard to figure out what came first and so on. And, this is technically the last chapter. T_T

BUT, there is an epilogue and it is ALL first person recollection or thought- how ever you like to put it or see it… Well, read it. Just wait and see. It should be a little obvious what the epilogue will contain.


	35. Epilogue

Sweetheart and Enemy

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Kuraiya, Hatsune, Riho, and Katsuya, Rahvanna, Sakaki and Sasaki.

Summary: Hatsune returns from a foreign exchange program in America and enrolls at Meiou High. She is unaware of the close tabs being kept on her as chaos returns to her home and her mind.

**Epilogue**

* * *

_I followed him into his room and it was dimly lit by his desk lamp. Was I supposed to see his books and homework? I could still hear the door closing and it never took that long to do that. His door finally clicked shut and the desk lamp went out like it was a flame on a wick that got a good gust of air._

_"Kurama, did I mention I don't like surprises like this?"_

_"No. But, you should like this," he said as he turned me around. _

_I saw something that sparkled slightly. It was doused in the scent of fresh roses. I really couldn't tell what it was- considering it was dark, but it sparkled, so it couldn't be horrible._

_"What is it?" I pointed to the object in his hands._

_"Open it and find out."_

_I poked at the object. It wasn't wrapped, so I had no clue how to get it open. I pulled on something that jutted out from its main mass. No movement. I tried a new plan- staring it down until it opened._

_"Let me help you." He pushed down on the top of it, and it opened up. A bunch of roses encircled an itty bitty glowing gem._

_"Okay, so I do like surprises like this. And whatever this cool looking gem is, I love it!"_

_He smiled a little, but my comment earned me a history lesson about this 'cool looking gem'. It wasn't bad- just a little long is all._

_"How did you get something so old and from the whatever clan you said?" I asked him with a smile on my face since I didn't quite catch everything he said._

_"Sakaki gave this to me, actually. She told me to give it to you when I figured you would need it. It might as well be now."_

_"So what do I do with it?"_

_"You will have to figure that out on your own."_

_I half-glared at him because he knew something about it that he wasn't telling me. But, I had something else to do while I would be over there- figure out exactly what this is and how it works. I watched him set the bundle down on his desk and walk away from it._

_I wasn't sure why I just now thought of this, but since it was on my mind, I spoke. "So, are you going to tell me why you're called Kurama and not Shuichi?"_

_He looked at me with a little amusement playing in his eyes. "You remember that?"_

_"More like just remembered that."_

_He led to me have a seat on the edge of his bed as he started at the beginning of his story. I learned about his past- thievery and his time in the Makai. How he was shot and fled to this world and took refuge with a women he came to know and eventually love as his human mother. _

_"That makes sense," I mumbled._

_"What makes sense?" he asked me._

_"I have always wondered how you were so clever and persuasive and all that stuff. You're a fox. It all makes sense now." I just smiled up at him, meaning that in the best way possible._

_"From your point of view, yes, I suppose it does clear up a few vague details."_

_I nodded my head. "And, now, it's bed time," I announced as I stood. I was pulled down by Kurama. "What?"_

_"You are on a bed. Go to sleep here."_

_"You gonna be sleeping in the bed that I planned to sleep in?"_

_"No. I plan to sleep here."_

_I felt like laughing, but I just let the smile pass through. "There's an easy way of keeping me here, you know that right?"_

_"Yes; however, it is a bit forward."_

_"Really? I'll be the judge of that."_

_He hugged me and leaned back, taking me with him. I was greeted by the softness of his bed. None of this was forward- by my definition. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath. This time roses and a cinnamon like smell assaulted my senses._

_I felt my chin being tilted up and then silky smooth, soft lips pressed against mine._

* * *

Outside on the grounds, I walked about, giving myself a random tour of the place. Training was done for the day and I was bored out of my mind. I twirled the gem around my neck about and kept walking.

In seeing distance, two cloaked figures walked my way. Their faces were covered and a paper talisman was on each of their wrists. Their feet were covered in black cloth, too. I stopped and let them approach me.

"Something I can do you for you two?" I asked them.

One of them stepped forward and came within inches of me. Whoever the person or creature was, it was taller than I.

"Why is a Maiyugubi mage of your standard aligned with a demon and his reign?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hahah! Yeah, I couldn't divulge all the details- had to hold some of it back (about both Kurama and Yusuke). Yeah, the drama continues on in the sequel- yes, the sequel. I'll have it up within a few days, hopefully.

I'm having trouble thinking of a name for it. But, I will figure one out- fast.


End file.
